Mail theft gang

Tygunn

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The other night the z-wave door sensor I installed on my mailbox detected an opening at 2:09am.
Reviewing the camera footage, I discovered the following.
First, a UHaul van drives up and down the street a few times and parks.
Then a team (you can see one guy on my side of the street, and another guy on the other side of the street) goes mailbox to mailbox taking the mail.
Both load up into the van, and off they go.
Thankfully the mailbox sensor makes me aware of deliveries and I collect them immediately.

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hook3m

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How do you have the z-wave door sensor hooked up? Is it wired all the way back to the house or is it wireless?
 

Tygunn

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How do you have the z-wave door sensor hooked up? Is it wired all the way back to the house or is it wireless?
I tried just putting the wireless sensor right in the mailbox, but the signal didn't make it all the way to the house.

I used an ecolink zwave door sensor (Z-wave Plus Rare Earth Magnets Door & Window Sensor, White & Brown (DWZWAVE2.5-ECO) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N5HB4U5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_sK6hAbQY1N7BY) because it has a contact where you can attach an external wired alarm door sensor.

I basically put a regular wired door sensor in the mailbox and buried some cat5 in the landscaping rocks until it reached my side gate which is in range of my Smarthings hub. I put the zwave sensor (which isn't waterproof) in a grey PVC electrical box to protect it from the elements.

I still want to tie this into my blue iris install to trigger an event directly.



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NoloC

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Did you tell the police? Seems the U-Haul would be traceable.
 

Tygunn

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I'm planning on reporting it. Just haven't gotten around to it.
Yeah I never get anything remotely valuable in the mail.

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NoloC

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It is an extreme problem in rural areas such as where I live. Glad you folks don't think it matters, but it does. Federal crime punishable by 5 years in the grey bar hotel. Who actually cares if you don't have mail you think is important?

Hope the op can find the time to report a federal crime. I sure he is busy.
 

Tygunn

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It is an extreme problem in rural areas such as where I live. Glad you folks don't think it matters, but it does. Federal crime punishable by 5 years in the grey bar hotel. Who actually cares if you don't have mail you think is important?

Hope the op can find the time to report a federal crime. I sure he is busy.
I've reported other minor crimes observed to the local cops. They've never some out for the footage even when I had clear footage.

I looked at the post master general website and I need to call them. I've been in meetings this week so it hasn't been good.

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NoloC

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Yet you had time to post this video here.

This is a police matter.
 

Kawboy12R

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Send them a DropBox or YouTube link to the video. Saves them time in their busy day to find out quickly if your video looks actionable and you the time to go in when they may or may not use it because you didn't claim anything significant as stolen. Win-win. Then they can come out later if they feel they need to.
 

awsum140

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I live in a rural area , quiet neighborhood, medium to high priced homes, and do get some things that matter in the mail, Amazon uses USPS quite a bit for example. I just got done digging 200 feet of trench an am putting in conduit for cameras to watch, among other things, the mailbox which is on the other side of the road. Yeah, there'll be lots of alerts but at least I can keep an eye on things. Our mailbox is similar to the mailbox in front of a post office, you can put things in, easily, but need a key to get them out easily, Even with that, we've had people trying to get to our mail.

C'mon, OP, you can find a few minutes to call or email the proper authorities.
 

looney2ns

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Once upon a time, they had real postal inspectors that took this seriously. Did I mention once upon a time?

My daughter moved to another state a month ago, she put in a change of address several days prior to move day.

Just for kicks, I went by the old place to check the mail until we were certain it was getting forwarded....took them 3 weeks, and two trips to the post office from me, and a call to the postmaster before they got it straightened out. Don't hold your breath.
 

Tygunn

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I ended up calling USPS; they took down the details and the local inspector will contact me for more information.
I've of course saved all the videos related to this so that they can review them.
Its a shame that my cameras are all focused on the area immediately around the house. The fact that something occurred far out at the street means the footage is pretty poor. I'll have to step through the footage again frame by frame and see if I can figure out an identification number on the UHaul van. A doubt I'll get a plate as it is a white overexposed blob due to the otherwise dark night.
 

Tygunn

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The US mail takes these things pretty seriously. Years ago we had a salesmen putting door to door advertisements on homes and he had the dumb idea of sticking them in mail boxes.we got a pretty threatening phone call telling us to knock it off or face consequences
Yeah, we've had a rash of property crimes in my area lately. The local PD doesn't have the resources to investigate them very well. Hopefully the mail theft one can be dealt with a bit more comprehensively.
 

Tygunn

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Wow talk about brazen. Then postal inspector hasn't even investigated this and they're at it again. I got a partial face this time. Sheesh. I'll report to local pd as well as updating my USPS case number.


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spencnor

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Wow talk about brazen. Then postal inspector hasn't even investigated this and they're at it again. I got a partial face this time. Sheesh. I'll report to local pd as well as updating my USPS case number.


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I have cameras watching my mailbox, but I also changed my mailbox to a locking one like this: https://www.amazon.com/7106-MailBoss-Curbside-Locking-Mailbox/dp/B000PIEXFA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512404016&sr=8-1&keywords=mail+boss+7106

This was after a couple of incidents similar to yours in the early morning hours. A number of neighbors have converted to locking mailboxes and it appears thieves are targeting other streets :)
 
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Tygunn

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I have cameras watching my mailbox, but I also changed my mailbox to a locking one like this: https://www.amazon.com/7106-MailBoss-Curbside-Locking-Mailbox/dp/B000PIEXFA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512404016&sr=8-1&keywords=mail+boss+7106

This was after a couple of incidents similar to yours in the early morning hours. A number of neighbors have converted to locking mailboxes and it appears thieves are targeting other streets :)
My neighbor and I are going to switch to locking mailboxes as well. Given that there was some papers left in one of the opened mailboxes across the street I suspect they were looking for packages. The postal delivery person came Sunday during the day to drop off packages.

There's a part of me that want to put another camera up front to get a tighter view of the mailbox, but then the other part of me that feels like the front of the house is already turning into a casino floor.
 
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Tygunn

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More cameras. Ignore the goody goody on your shoulder.
Hahah, yeah.

The Starlight Varifocal on the front of the house can definitely zoom to see the mailbox clearer. I'm tempted to consider a smaller form factor camera hidden nearer to the road though. Problem is there is no fencing or anything to really attach it to. I suppose a bird house attached to the tree might make a decent hiding spot. Haha.
 

Kawboy12R

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I'd just zoom in more on the mailbox for now. Well, until the next camera order comes in. :)

It looks like they're regular customers and a better face shot would do wonders. If you get a plate then the post office should put you on retainer.
 
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