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I’m simply surprised that there hasn’t been minimal cooperation from package carriers to develop a one time key system for porch lockboxes. The boxes wouldn’t e

I’m simply surprised that there hasn’t been minimal cooperation from package carriers to develop a one time key system for porch lockboxes. The boxes wouldn’t even need to be robust. Package carrier walks up. Scans the package, taps the scanner to the box, drop the package in the box, and off we go. Sell them at Home Depot. People would buy.

darig 5y ago
I'm simply surprised that you don't realize UPS employees are a teamsters union who work under excruciating quotas. Fiddling with grandma's broken lock box is not an option. And off we go.
alphabettsy 5y ago
The major shipping carriers offer a service where you can have them put packages inside a garage door or other place. Even then I find about half of my packages still end up on the front porch despite me indicating otherwise using the carrier's service to indicate where to leave packages. I haven’t had a package stolen in very many years so I guess that’s a good thing.
PostOnce 5y ago
Please god not another "smart" gadget, just use a bent piece of metal: https://media.istockphoto.com/photos/book-drop-picture-id97908107?k=20&m=97908107&s=612x612&w=0&h=XppfkdIqjYqzZky1gssOQILINRFgp1tKQmrzXmfd1PU= https://media.istockphoto.com/photos/book-drop-picture-id979... But neither of our ideas will work, because the boxes are too big some of the time.
- germinalphrase 5y ago
  Installing a drop box is significantly more complicated than putting a cheap, plastic garden box on your porch/lawn/etc. The only thing “smart” about the box is the electric lock. It wouldn’t need to be connected to any network. It’s a low value crime of opportunity. Merely hiding packages visually would likely prevent most incidents.
  - c22 5y ago
    Why wouldn't thieves just take the whole box?
    - germinalphrase 5y ago
      Look at 50-100 gallon deck boxes. Even if you drove around with a truck, how many could you possibly fit in the back? You don’t even know if they contain anything of value and most would probably be empty. These thieves are just snatching a dozen (or two or three) small boxes at a time, opening them in an alley (or whatever) and dumping anything that isn’t of value.

darig 5y ago

I'm simply surprised that you don't realize UPS employees are a teamsters union who work under excruciating quotas. Fiddling with grandma's broken lock box is not an option. And off we go.

alphabettsy 5y ago

The major shipping carriers offer a service where you can have them put packages inside a garage door or other place. Even then I find about half of my packages still end up on the front porch despite me indicating otherwise using the carrier's service to indicate where to leave packages. I haven’t had a package stolen in very many years so I guess that’s a good thing.

PostOnce 5y ago

Please god not another "smart" gadget, just use a bent piece of metal: https://media.istockphoto.com/photos/book-drop-picture-id97908107?k=20&m=97908107&s=612x612&w=0&h=XppfkdIqjYqzZky1gssOQILINRFgp1tKQmrzXmfd1PU= https://media.istockphoto.com/photos/book-drop-picture-id979... But neither of our ideas will work, because the boxes are too big some of the time.

germinalphrase 5y ago
Installing a drop box is significantly more complicated than putting a cheap, plastic garden box on your porch/lawn/etc. The only thing “smart” about the box is the electric lock. It wouldn’t need to be connected to any network. It’s a low value crime of opportunity. Merely hiding packages visually would likely prevent most incidents.
- c22 5y ago
  Why wouldn't thieves just take the whole box?
  - germinalphrase 5y ago
    Look at 50-100 gallon deck boxes. Even if you drove around with a truck, how many could you possibly fit in the back? You don’t even know if they contain anything of value and most would probably be empty. These thieves are just snatching a dozen (or two or three) small boxes at a time, opening them in an alley (or whatever) and dumping anything that isn’t of value.