Do Not Sign For Your Neighbor's Packages, Then Pawn Them
Fedex delivered a Florida woman's new laptop computer when she wasn't home. It was okay, though—her neighbor signed for it. Then, allegedly, he pawned it. Somehow, authorities tracked him down. Maybe it was the part where he signed his name.
The victim called Palm Bay police after the $399 laptop she ordered failed to be delivered. The woman first notified Federal Express officials and had the packaged traced. Fed Ex officials told the woman that [Norman] Taylor, who lives in area, signed and accepted the package while she was away.
Police talked to Taylor, who admitted to signing for the item. Police said the delivery box, ripped open and with the label missing, was found in Taylor's apartment.
Funny, isn't it, how a FedEx investigation can lead right to the person who lives near the recipient and signed his name on the little computer. Whatever happened to signing it as John Smith or Ben Dover? That might have delayed them long enough to throw the box away. Sigh, these criminals today.
Police: Man signs for package, pawns contents [Florida Today]
(Photo: frankieleon)
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Comments:
The federal crime of "tampering with mail", does that only aply to USPS Mail, or does it also cover FedEx, UPS and other package delivery services.
A quote from a friend that is an assistant DA, "You'd like to think that we solve most crimes with good old-fashioned detective work. Well we don't. The crooks are tripping on their own d!¢&$."
FedEx was easy to work with when I had something stolen while in transit. Somebody slit the bottom of the box open and resealed it. The gave no hassle, contacted the computer company about the problem. I got a replacement media player the next day. I get the feeling that they worked out where and when it was stolen based off it's weight change during transit.
@JerryMouse: FedEx is contracted by the USPS to do domestic some overnight shipments. So, yes if it is tampered with while in FedEx's custodianship if it was sent via the USPS. Otherwise no, as far as I know. Likely there are interstate commerce and transportation laws, not often used, that would cover interception of goods that have traveled across state lines. With the court systems and law enforcement being over burdened I doubt that federal charges will be pursued for "small time" offenders.
That written if you get the legal arm of the USPS in action, it is an amazing thing to watch. One moment there is nobody there, the next agents pop out of nowhere and a can of whoop-ass is unleashed. I saw somebody allegedly intercept a check. They opened an envelope, a tone was heard, and it turned out that some of the customers mulling around were federal agents.
Please don't feed the above troll, people. He's far too boring for your attention.
How exactly is this a Consumerist story? Crime blotter material - yes. But this isn't an issue that affects 99.99997 percent of consumers. It's not "real" advice. There's no corporate or major consumer problem. I love this site more than almost any other site - clean it up please.
The neighbor stealing a $400 laptop probably did the victim a favor by saving her the aggravation of, y'know, trying to use the damn thing on tasks we reasonably expect computers to do.
@Trai_Dep:
Agree about the troll. I mean, gosh darn, if you are going to bash the prez can ya at least be original?
Yeah, she should have known better than try to own something. That guy is a true patriot. We should teach our kids to be more like him. @Trai_Dep:
@Rusty-Shackleford: Gld tthd dmcrts r th dmbst sb-hmns n th plnt. Thr I sd t. Pls rfr ll ht ml t my -ml ddrss bmscmm@lwnpns.frt
Wow, disemvoweling is hard.
@Trai_Dep: I'm typing this response on $200 netbook, so I'm really getting a kick out of these replies.
Wouldn't they also have been able to do a trace through the pawn ticket, which is supposed to require photo ID? Sounds like this neighbor is a few fries short of a happy meal.
BTW, a $400 netbook works pretty well except for the fact that the keyboard takes some getting used to.
So if I'm not home Fedex will hand my packages to anyone standing nearby?
@dancekat1: This is important because it is something that can affect a lot of people. It's important to be aware of who can sign for your packages - and it's important to remember that FedEx, UPS and USPS may not be the most concerned for your own privacy if they'd let the neighbor sign and take your package.
@henrygates: I furnished my apartment by following a UPS guy and looking like I belonged there. Just change hats and fiddle with your keys.
@DeadWriter: Yep. I don't know how my friends who are public defenders manage to get through the day without strangling somebody.
"Did they read you your rights?"
"Uh huh."
"And then what did you do?"
"I told them I had a bunch a meth in my trunk."
@dancekat1: Also, not a lot of "real" stories seem to happen on the weekend. I appreciate that they keep going on a Saturday morning. Otherwise, I might be forced to do something productive. *shudder*
I must be getting old- I've graduated from Saturday morning cartoons to Saturday morning Consumerist.
@dancekat1: It definitely affects me. Despite a huge sign on my door that states never leave packages with neighbors, UPS seems to think my dead-beat next-door neighbor is trustworthy enough to leave my packages with. I have lost several. Often I can choose a carrier other than UPS. However, when I have no choice I can now refer to this story when demanding they don't do this.
@dancekat1: It's a consumer issue as we pay for the goods and services of these companies and if the delivery company in question doesn't deliver according to a protocol (making sure to get signatures of the reciever - not a friend or other person; not tossing packages causing damage; etc.) then as many people as can be told need to know about the problem to make a resonable consumer choice. I know that this definitely applies to me as of late as I've had 4 laptops delivered to my home in the pas 5 months and every time I have asked that the package not be left unless it has a signature from me and yet every time a laptop was delivered by UPS it was left on my front porch in plain sight of everyone in a box labeled and pictures of the contents prominently displayed. Thankfully someone was home each time to get the package off the porch before someone else became a new laptop owner on my dime.
@JCWhitless: I have 4 $450 laptops that I just purchased and they have more power and better specs than a lot of desktops and other higher priced laptops out there. I manage to not only run a full spectrum of MS Office 2007 programs at a time but also stream Netflix and Fancast content, photo editing software (PhotoShop and PaintShop and many extra filters), and surf the net (many times running several of these programs at the same time). And it has specs good enough to qualify it for Windows 7 without any changes or upgrades recommended.
@H3ion: That and its underpowered, minimal storage and of course no optical drive. Its good for minimal internet.
@Trai_Dep:
Is that your attempt at a Blame the Victim post? What difference does it make how much the OP paid for the laptop? It was signed for by someone else and pawned.
@henrygates: Totally depends on two things... What neighborhood do you live in, and what service level did you pay for. For FedEx there's a surcharge if you want a signature. Second, not all neighborhoods are bad. If you live in a shit neighborhood, the UPSman knows not to give it to a neighbor, unless you request it. If you live in a fairly decent neighborhood, they may give it to your next door neighbor or leave it on the porch. If you live in an apartment, he'll probably take it to the leasing office if they accept packages.
Yeah, my FedEx driver recently left a package of two hard drives in front of my door without asking anyone for a signature. In an apartment complex. WHEN THE OFFICE HOLDS PACKAGES FOR TENANTS. Of course it got stolen and nobody can do anything...
/grumble
@H3ion: Yes, as well as the serial number they usually also take down, and submit regularly to the local PD and also a national DB, IIRC. But yes, a pawn ticket almost always requires a valid photo ID, as the pawn broker is SOL if he pawns a stolen item, as he doesn't get the item back and also loses the money from the crook.
@DeadWriter: @Rusty-Shackleford: What country has the ".fart" top level domain? One woult think with all the immature people that the country would be rolling in dough
Well see the problem isn't that he signed - "Oh I left it in a secure area, but someone must have stolen it" but that he went and pawned it before he fucking got rid of the box. That's just retarded
@mythago: The NYC cops have a screwed up little game they play. Personal amounts of weed are a ticket when found in your possession, but if it's shown in public, it's a full-blown non-felony crime, with mandates up the wazoo.
So cops routinely ask before patting down Teh Kids, "If you have any weed, pull it out so we won't go hard on you." Trusting people do so, and BLAM: arrest, fines, court appearances, probation, the works.
Evil, evil police.
@tbax929: It's not to say that the creepy, stupid neighbor should be smacked, and smacked hard, for what they did. And gods know that the OP was the victim.
I'm more of the mind that one should buy something that you're happy with for several years and get real value out of, rather than "saving" money purchasing something that you'll quickly outgrow and/or under-utilize because of the compromises needed to hit too low of a price point.
It's better on the pocketbook (long term), your happiness, your time and the environment.
It's often better to shop based on value rather than just price, in other words.
I'm glad there are people like this in the world. Means my favorite "dumbest criminals" show will never run out of material.
@Trai_Dep: I've seen some really, really good laptops for $500. Laptops that rival the macbook pro even in terms of ram, hdd space, dual core, screen size (sans fancy aluminum chassis and sans dedicated gpu). Not all $400 laptops are horrible (though I suspect a vast majority are, gotta be a good shopper!)
@dancekat1: I also agree that it IS a consumer issue -- just 2 weeks ago, my brother was expecting a part for his car at our parents' house. FedEx delivered the (rather large - read: six feet tall) package while nobody was home and, for some unknown reason (since FedEx had NEVER done that before in the 10 years my parents have lived at that house) decided to leave the package with our neighbors. We know them, but don't talk to them much.
It was upsetting for many reasons: 1-What if one does not get along with the neighbors? 2-It is an inconvenience for both the neighbor and the actual recipient of the package. 3-That same day, UPS had delivered another package and simply left it on the front porch (as they have always done -- there are huge bushes that hide any view, from the street, of a package left there ) yet FedEx couldn't be bothered to leave their package there as well? 4-The neighbor might then go off and pawn what does not belong to him, as in this article.
So yes, in my opinion, this is a consumer issue that can affect anyone.
@StanTheManDean: ...at least be original
Well, if we're adhering to a strict definition of "original", I'm not sure anyone as ever constructed "Obamaisacommie@clownpenis.fart" before. It's really one of a kind.
@tsume: I've been using a MSI wind for the last 4 months and it's about 5 times more powerful and about 3 times less expensive than my old desktop.
@PSUSkier: Not sure if this is possible for you, but if I order something expensive and worry about it getting to me properly, I will have it shipped to my work address instead of home.
@Trai_Dep: You might be surprised what people can be happy with if they're not using their computers for gaming. (And especially if they're not running Windows.)
I use my computer for mostly the same core tasks I used a computer for 15 or 20 years ago, but now it's a lot cheaper and a lot easier. I used to be a really early adopter, but I hit my sweet spot years ago, and even when I get sort of out of date hardware, I'm happy with it for many years. (I just replaced my six year old $300 ceiling homebuilt desktop with a speedy new $350 one, and it's WAY overkill for me.)
Yes, it is a federal offense if you steal from UPS or FedEx. I've worked for UPS in the past, and it was very clearly pointed out when hired, that if you steal from them, you are committing a felony and will be prosecuted.
It doesn't matter is the USPS is involved with the package or not.
@H3ion: I agree...my acer aspire one rules the world. Best laptop I've ever had and I owned an apple g3 and several pcs.
The only drawback is that there's no cd/dvd/blue ray drive so I had to buy a cheap external one. Let's face it, you can't watch movies (nor should you) on a netbook.
@fantomesq: BS...most software you can download from the manufacturer if you already have the license.
Netbooks can do just about everything except games and movies...unless you are a WOW meth-head you don't even need to use a computer for those things.
@henrygates: DHL just cuts out the middle man and steals packages outright! (or at least the drivers do)...especially Video Games and Electronics.
@Jerkamie: Yes they can...but they leave a notice first then you have to sign that notice with specific instructions (ala leave on porch) and leave it where they left it and they'll leave it at the front door or porch.
Well, to be fair, he sounds more like a one-off criminal, who doesn't know all the techniques yet.