So I caught a thief stealing my LEGO on camera

[ED-209]

If you put anything in a mailbox without postage, you are technically breaking the law. 

That's crazy. What about junk mail advertising?  That is never mailed, just put in the letter box by a flunky.  it would be more illegal to post it on public property like a signpost and so on.

I don't know if fb is a good idea. You might attract more thieves.  If they know you have a camera, they will cover their face next time.

BTW, Im shocked by the comment about people potentially shooting prowlers in your neighbourhood OP. I'm glad I don't live in the US, worrying about getting shot to me is really a 3rd world problem.  That's seriously farked up. You ought to move to a better neighbourhood and you might not get robbed or shot so much.

Edited May 26, 2015 by mike_eldorado

[Gray2010]

Try posting it on YouTube

john

[jerryherb]

Try posting it on YouTube

john

​will have to do some editing first. you can see my license plate on the other camera feed. 

[jerryherb]

That's crazy. What about junk mail advertising?  That is never mailed, just put in the letter box by a flunky.  it would be more illegal to post it on public property like a signpost and so on.

I don't know if fb is a good idea. You might attract more thieves.  If they know you have a camera, they will cover their face next time.

BTW, Im shocked by the comment about people potentially shooting prowlers in your neighbourhood OP. I'm glad I don't live in the US, worrying about getting shot to me is really a 3rd world problem.  That's seriously farked up. You ought to move to a better neighbourhood and you might not get robbed or shot so much.

​it varies by state, however if one trespasses, steals and tries to run away with your property you technically have the right to protect it by all means necessary, especially in the rural south/southeast. welcome to america where you can buy a rifle and a bible in one store and on the same day. BTW one the safest neighborhoods in the southeast, if not in the whole country is the one that requires every household to own a firearm. Kennesaw, Georgia

Edited May 26, 2015 by jerryherb

[Mynatt]

What you should do is workout a bromance with you UPS man to get something like this:

It's fool proof and people won't even know that it is there. 

All sarcasm aside, I think what has already been said has been the most helpful. Contact the Police. 

Think of the robber, probably expecting something really expensive, opens it and finds Lego Bricks. 

 

[jerryherb]

All sarcasm aside, I think what has already been said has been the most helpful. Contact the Police. 

Think of the robber, probably expecting something really expensive, opens it and finds Lego Bricks. 

 

​perhaps he can build upon his mistake. funny because he got two boxes. opens one, 2 identical lego sets and he's disappointed, opens the second hoping for something expensive and 3 more of the same exact thing.

Edited May 26, 2015 by jerryherb

[Migration]

Most thieves are are well aware of the value of Lego. 

One of my friends used to live in kennesaw, when they passed the "thou shalt own a fire arm law" he was rather annoyed as he really doesn't like guns, so he built a potato cannon. It was freakin' sweet, would launch a potato 100 yards.

[themoose9]

Here's hoping he opens it, is disappointed that it's LEGO, and gives an awesome set to his kid as a reward for straight A's....then steps on every piece barefoot on the way to make a midnight sammich.

 

Good luck with the police.

[ED-209]

 

 

 

​Is that a Polish flag I see in that pot? Are you a fellow Polak ?

[jerryherb]

​Is that a Polish flag I see in that pot? Are you a fellow Polak ?

​good eye

[Alpinemaps]

Most thieves are are well aware of the value of Lego. 

One of my friends used to live in kennesaw, when they passed the "thou shalt own a fire arm law" he was rather annoyed as he really doesn't like guns, so he built a potato cannon. It was freakin' sweet, would launch a potato 100 yards.

​I'd be totally for that.

[TheBrickClique]

We caught vandals on video wrecking our Christmas light display and breaking into the make a wish donation box (empty at the time). The cops came out for the report. Sent a message to one of the local news stations. At 5pm, all of the major network news stations were reporting live with their vans parked on the street. The video was everywhere now.  

A couple of weeks later, the young girls who were caught on video went to work and their coworker friends let them know about the coverage. They saw the news videos and turned themselves in to the police. 

The monetary damage wasn't great so the cops told me on the phone after talking to the girls that likely charges would not be filed but the girls didn't need to know this if he wanted to drive them over to my house and try to scare them straight with a restitution plea. 

So they brought them over and they each made a donation to make a wish and I got the officer to chuckle when I told the girls, "Since you clearly have experience in taking down the display, you can help me take it down this weekend."  They did and they turned out to be decent young adults who just got way too drunk and lost proper judgement. I ended up hiring one to help put some display pieces together the following year. 

And one of the news stations ended up doing a follow up. 

So, never underestimate the power of the news stations in solving these cases. We have had package thieves as well in our area and one home owner caught them on video and the local stations ran it for a week.

Having the media cover it also puts pressure on the local police to solve it. The day after our vandals were on the news, I heard a radio commercial for crime stoppers describing our case!

And I wouldn't worry about retaliation. Afterall, they will know you have their picture and they would be suspect #1 if something should happen. They will want to stay off the radar and hope things pass and none of their friends rat them out. 

[jerryherb]

thanks for all your help. i got quite a few replies from my neighbors at nextdoor.com and apparently someone knows who this guy is, gave me his name, and will be sending me his pictures to compare and confirm. will take all of this to the police so they have a slam dunk case should they choose to actually do their job.

[jerryherb]

Most thieves are are well aware of the value of Lego. 

One of my friends used to live in kennesaw, when they passed the "thou shalt own a fire arm law" he was rather annoyed as he really doesn't like guns, so he built a potato cannon. It was freakin' sweet, would launch a potato 100 yards.

​speaking of value of lego and potato guns. if you combine an EV3 and potato gun to create the remote controlled potato canon it may actually make EV3 worth something after EOL

[Migration]

​speaking of value of lego and potato guns. if you combine an EV3 and potato gun to create the remote controlled potato canon it may actually make EV3 worth something after EOL

But, that would be entirely too cool to sell.

[tacsniper]

I hope the cops can find your packages back before he pawns it all for more meth.

What I find helpful now a days is either rent a mailbox from a UPS store or a storage unit where packages can be accepted and held by someone until you can pick it up. This avoids any "non-delivery" where you have to go to the depot or closest postal outlook to pick up your packages. Also avoids theft like this scenario too!

Edited May 27, 2015 by tacsniper

[jerryherb]

I hope the cops can find your packages back before he pawns it all for more meth.

What I find helpful now a days is either renta UPS store mailbox or a storage unit where packages can be accepted and held by someone until you can pick it up. This avoids any "non-delivery" where you have to go to the depot or closest postal outlook to pick up your packages. Also avoids theft like this scenario too!

​thats funny you should say that. i googled the name i was given and found that this guy has at least 8 arrests going back to 2006 and one of them is for meth, two for theft by taking and others for criminal trespass.

Edited May 27, 2015 by jerryherb

[Thumper]

thanks for all your help. i got quite a few replies from my neighbors at nextdoor.com and apparently someone knows who this guy is, gave me his name, and will be sending me his pictures to compare and confirm. will take all of this to the police so they have a slam dunk case should they choose to actually do their job.

​I googled the nextdoor.com website, thought that was an interesting idea... gee, lotsa hate for that site!

[ISO8T0]

a bit late to the game, but involving the police is the way to go. They will start a crime report. Since you have excellent pics of the perp he will more than likely become apprehended.

I had my front door kicked in last year and fortunately I have an alarm system and the door sensor was triggered after one of the kicks. By the time the idiot got in the alarm was going off. He didn't get very far.

So my course of events would be to:

1. Report it to the police
2. Set an explosive trap. (think deer urine, poop or even building materials)
3. Leave a box with a note on it that says, "Look to your right and smile mother F*CK*R" "I'm in the bushes behind you!"

[jerryherb]

​I googled the nextdoor.com website, thought that was an interesting idea... gee, lotsa hate for that site!

​yeah, i guess some people dont realize that they can change privacy settings and list way more info than needed. the place is just like any other forum, social network site. trolls are everywhere, even in your neighborhood.

Edited May 27, 2015 by jerryherb

[iamolego]

Maybe he saw the Polish flag and is instigating a hate crime.  That might increase the police response to the case.  I am envisioning the planned police controlled delivery and sting operation of the Target box marked TOYS TOYS TOYS all over it and then MRAPs, Police Dropships, and SWAT dudes rolling in when Mr. Hoodie shows up.

[Achilles]

Any follow up on this?

[Duncan 1]

i was away for the weekend and come back to a few packages showing as delivered, however nowhere to be found. i have an OK surveillance system setup so i went back to check whether they were in fact delivered as sometimes USPS marks stuff delivered and its shows up a day later. i saw the post office lady drop two boxes of early afternoon just like the tracking shows and then at 10:18PM sticky fingers shows up. i got it at 960P so it shows most the details like where he came from and where he went, his face, clothes, backpack and even the brand of shoes hes wearing. i emailed amazon and target and opened a non-delivered cases. the question is what do i do with the video, snapshots and the fact that this guy just walked up to my door and stole 5 lego sets off my property. he's got some balls as i live in a state where he could get shot over this. lucky for both of us i wasn't home. any experience or ideas?

That is horrible I've had my house broken into twice years ago I know how you feel 

 

[jerryherb]

Any follow up on this?

​yes, i know whom the guy is thanks to nextdoor.com and turned over all the evidence to the detectives so they can do some detecting. not sure if they will let me know what happens unless i get a subpoena and they need me to testify, maybe. they did ask me specifically whether it was private courier (UPS/FEDEX/LAZYSHIP) or USPS so perhaps he gets charged with mail fraud instead of just theft by taking like he did twice in the past among other things like meth possession. already got replacements from both target and amazon.

Edited June 3, 2015 by jerryherb

[MarleyMoose]

Glad to hear that the Police are on it and that you received replacements. Problem is he will probably be right back out on the streets soon doing the same thing.