Stopping Porch Pirates

[gblowfish]

Apologize if a Q. Some of my neighbors had stuff stolen off their porch in the past week. This guy is a former NASA scientist who is a true "mad scientist" with a brilliant way to punish porch pirates and reward people who do the right thing. 18 minutes, but very entertaining. Careful, some language...

[Coach]

Originally Posted by DaFace

It's still pretty funny, but I do kind of wish there were some real consequences here. I don't fully understand why the cops aren't more involved.

I think what's even sadder is that there are cameras everywhere, and people still do it with no regards to consequences that they would face.

[frozenchief]

Originally Posted by SupDock

In my neighborhood, someone stole the huge, metal, multi-home mailbox.

People are strange. I imagine that is 50 counts of felony mail theft.

If it's an actual post office box, that is, one owned by the U.S.P.S., then it's a federal offense. Whether it's mail theft depends upon whether any mail was actually in the P.O. Box.

That's not the real issue, though. Typically those thefts go after mail and then use the stolen mail for a wide variety of things. If the mail has any identifying information, people fill out fake tax returns so they can get a check. THey literally just file a second return for Joe Blow using all of his information, usually a 1040EZ, and list enough that doesn't have to be independently verified so that they can get $5-10K from the government. They use the information to get enough of a fake ID to cash the check. Maybe they succeed 1 time in 10 but the last case I had like this, the ring got about $500,000 from fake tax returns. Compared to that, the theft of the mail boxes wasn't even prosecuted.

You might think, "Doesn't the IRS recognize that someone has already paid taxes and been issued a refund?" The answer to that is, "Not always."

By the way, this is a really good reason to get your mail at a UPS store or private mail service place. Your physical address is generally kept secret. There's surveillance of your mail system at all time, whether people there or security cameras after hours. And any packages are held behind the counter so they can't be stolen by porch pirates.

[Holladay]

He should incorporate CS Gas along with the Fart Spray. That stuff is nasty.

[burt]

Mark Rober is a genius as well as a very cool individual.


https://youtu.be/5z9DMBlvBeY

[Iowanian]

Originally Posted by Holladay

He should incorporate CS Gas along with the Fart Spray. That stuff is nasty.

how about CS gas and the exploding ink packets they use for bank robbery money....for that matter, release Norovirus mist.

let the thieves think about what they've done, dyed blue with explosive diarrhea.

[Holladay]

how about CS gas and the exploding ink packets they use for bank robbery money

I like the idea! The only thing that stands in the way is he uses biodegradable glitter thus not long term. Is there a "washable" ink packets?

If it was me, I would use the worst glitter and permanent ink.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Holladay

I like the idea! The only thing that stands in the way is he uses biodegradable glitter thus not long term. Is there a "washable" ink packets?

If it was me, I would use the worst glitter and permanent ink.

I'm sure the issue is liability for damaging anything permanently. Even if you think that the porch pirates deserve it, you can't legally retaliate against a crime with a crime. Not to mention that there would sometimes be collateral damage in cases like the pawn shop.

[Frazod]

I'm pretty lucky where I live - only once in 20+ years has anything been taken off my porch. My neighborhood is nice enough that we don't have a bunch of lowlifes, but ordinary enough that we don't attract unwanted attention. It's all townhouses/condos, so there are a ton of windows overlooking the street and little to no cover for anyone up to no good.

[Holladay]

I'm sure the issue is liability for damaging anything permanently. Even if you think that the porch pirates deserve it, you can't legally retaliate against a crime with a crime. Not to mention that there would sometimes be collateral damage in cases like the pawn shop.

Point well made.

[Bearcat]

[TLO]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

Oh God.. I can't wait to watch this

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by TLO

Oh God.. I can't wait to watch this

Watch this one afterwards.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

That was excellent!

[TLO]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

Originally Posted by TLO

Oh God.. I can't wait to watch this

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

Watch this one afterwards.

Originally Posted by Hog's Gone Fishin

That was excellent!

What Hog said. Awesome stuff.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Those bastards got my mom for $1000 about a year before she died at 89. Old people are really vulnerable.