I ordered some business cards to take to Libertycon, which Miss D. and I will be attending this weekend. To my intense displeasure (euphemism!), the package was shown by the courier service as having been delivered, but I hadn't received it. Inquiries proved fruitless. This evening Miss D. and I went for a short walk, and found the package ripped open at the side of the road and my business cards thrown into the nearest storm-water drain. Clearly, someone had hoped to find something valuable inside, and tossed the contents when they proved worthless to him.
Miss D. was able to get at the cards at the bottom of the storm-water drain, with the help of my reacher (I keep it on hand due to being partly disabled and unable to bend easily). She was able to retrieve about fifty of the cards in slightly damp but usable condition - we're drying them out at present - but most of the cards were already wet and stained. The few we've salvaged will work out to have cost over a dollar apiece, by the time we've averaged all the expenses of the order across them!
This sort of thing hasn't been a problem here before, but we've had some folks moving in over the past year or two that may be more prone to this sort of behavior. I'm going to have to keep my eyes open, and alert the neighbors to do the same.
Peter
Try putting out a game/trail camera to see who is messing with your mail.
ReplyDeleteOr, get a box at the post office. Been getting my mail that way since the 60's. (But would still alert the neighbors, however)
ReplyDeleteTrouble with P.O. boxes is that some companies won't accept them as addresses due to the fraud factor.
ReplyDeleteMy "over 55" community has to give each dwelling a seperate street address even though our mail is delivered to a central location in the clubhouse for this very reason.
Damn'ed if you do and damn'ed if you don't.
We've had an influx of foreigners since they found oil again in TEXAS. Some idgit stole my ladder a couple weeks ago. I guess it's time to dig that punji pit.....
ReplyDeleteBummer. In spite of living in a neighborhood that Albuquerque wouldn't generally consider the best (Ok, it's known as the "War Zone") I've had good luck with packages. Even when UPS or Fedex have delivered packages to the wrong address, the neighbors have redelivered them for me. Of course, I've also done the same for them.
ReplyDeleteIf it continues to be a problem, consider getting a box at one of those storefront mail/shipping stores. You can use either the box number, or just put "Apartment 1725" down for box 1725 if the people you're dealing with won't ship to a box. They even sign for your packages at the store and let you know when they arrive. Saves time having to be home to sign for things that require signature like ammo or C&R guns.
ReplyDeleteI'd also suggest getting a PO Box to prevent mail theft. Our local USPS branch lets us use its street address with our box number for those companies that won't deliver to a PO Box. So 123 Main St, Box 567, YourCity, etc.
ReplyDeletePurple Magpie
It sounds like you have been getting much higher quality cards than I do. If you don't need fancy letterpress printed cards with the lovely raised ink you have plenty of cheaper options from places like VistaPrint.
ReplyDeleteAround '99, the Post Office changed the rules for those Mail Centers. They decreed that the address had to signify it was a PO Box of sorts, instead of just an address, like Suite 27, First Street, Mo. Did some damage to the Mailing stores, which was their intent, IIRC. No address forwarding from one of them was just one of the rules they got hit with.
ReplyDeleteMy mailing address was at one of them, and it turned into a real problem due to those .gov idiots.
You might consider building some sort of package holding receptacle. Maybe the size of a dog house? Figure out what size packages you might typically receive, and put a door big enough to fit it. Either a one way door of some sort, or have it automatically lock when the delivery person shuts it. I suppose you could get fancy with different size openings for different size packages, or multiple deliveries, etc. Separately sectioned internally, of course.