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Sting uses fake Amazon boxes, GPS to catch would-be thieves
Sting uses fake Amazon boxes, GPS to catch would-be thieves
By DAVID PORTER
an hour ago
This image taken from video shows an Amazon package containing a GPS tracker on the porch of a Jersey City, N.J. residence after its delivery Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018. The explosion in online shopping has led to porch pirates and stoop surfers swiping holiday packages from unsuspecting residents. The cops in one New Jersey city are trying to catch the thieves with some trickery of their own. (AP Photo/Robert Bumsted)
The explosion in online shopping has led to porch pirates and stoop surfers swiping holiday packages from unsuspecting residents. The cops in one New Jersey city are trying to catch the thieves with some trickery of their own.
Police in Jersey City, across the Hudson River from New York, are teaming up with Amazon to install doorbell cameras and plant dummy boxes with GPS tracking devices at homes around the city.
They didn’t have to wait long Tuesday for someone to take the bait.
“We had a box out on the street for three minutes before it was taken,” said police Capt. James Crecco, who is overseeing the mission. “We thought it was a mistake at first.”
...
By DAVID PORTER
an hour ago
This image taken from video shows an Amazon package containing a GPS tracker on the porch of a Jersey City, N.J. residence after its delivery Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018. The explosion in online shopping has led to porch pirates and stoop surfers swiping holiday packages from unsuspecting residents. The cops in one New Jersey city are trying to catch the thieves with some trickery of their own. (AP Photo/Robert Bumsted)
The explosion in online shopping has led to porch pirates and stoop surfers swiping holiday packages from unsuspecting residents. The cops in one New Jersey city are trying to catch the thieves with some trickery of their own.
Police in Jersey City, across the Hudson River from New York, are teaming up with Amazon to install doorbell cameras and plant dummy boxes with GPS tracking devices at homes around the city.
They didn’t have to wait long Tuesday for someone to take the bait.
“We had a box out on the street for three minutes before it was taken,” said police Capt. James Crecco, who is overseeing the mission. “We thought it was a mistake at first.”
...
More at link.
10 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
Why would Sting use fake Amazon boxes??
Excellent!
In my area it seems that Fedex Ground is using subcontractors for home deliveries, and they're driving unmarked white vans rather than the ubiquitous Fedex trucks. I think in part, the reasoning is that people are less likely to follow them around and steal the delivered packages. However I've never known of a package being taken off someone's porch in my neighborhood, and I doubt it's a big problem here in Pittsburgh. Could be a problem in larger cities though.
As for Amazon, they're setting up their own delivery system that competes with Fedex and UPS. So they control what delivery vans get used and how they're marked.
