Preparedness - Delivery Persons

[gamer_jim]

A couple days ago my youngest dog was outside and going bananas, much more than usual. I look outside and an unknown and unmarked vehicle was turning around in my driveway, set back about 150 feet from the road. It was a middle aged man of non-western European descendant. I brought my dog in closed the screen door and stared intently at him from inside my house. He got out of his vehicle went around the back of the vehicle and produced a small cardboard box. He showed it to me, smiled and then placed it on the walkway in front of my house. He then took a picture of it, got in his vehicle and left.

Turns out it was a delivery I had been expecting. Not having any markings on the vehicle and the gentleman's ethnicity made me worry.

I should have shut and locked the door, armed myself and continue to monitor from inside.

Lesson learned. Be prepared and act accordingly. You don't owe strangers politeness, especially at your home. Maybe a sign out front would have helped. I've also seen people put delivery boxes at the end of their driveway for these sorts of things with instructions to put them in. Ideally I would want a gated driveway with the delivery box out front of it with cameras and motion alarms. Maybe someone could build one so that after something was put in it it would automatically lock and it would be bolted to a small cement slab to prevent theft.

 

[RFBfromDE]

I'm surprised that was the first time you encountered an Amazon Privateer.

It's safer than passengers.

 

[DutchV]

Amazon really should issue them a uniform vest.

 

[Ponder_MD]

I've been aware that Amazon uses all manner of unmarked vehicles and people.

Since I can no longer differentiate between delivery people and random strangers, all doors are locked at all times. When my cameras alert me to a presence, I'll take a quick peek to make sure they're just dropping off a package.

 

[Bountied]

A couple days ago my youngest dog was outside and going bananas, much more than usual. I look outside and an unknown and unmarked vehicle was turning around in my driveway, set back about 150 feet from the road. It was a middle aged man of non-western European descendant. I brought my dog in closed the screen door and stared intently at him from inside my house. He got out of his vehicle went around the back of the vehicle and produced a small cardboard box. He showed it to me, smiled and then placed it on the walkway in front of my house. He then took a picture of it, got in his vehicle and left.

Turns out it was a delivery I had been expecting. Not having any markings on the vehicle and the gentleman's ethnicity made me worry.

I should have shut and locked the door, armed myself and continue to monitor from inside.

Lesson learned. Be prepared and act accordingly. You don't owe strangers politeness, especially at your home. Maybe a sign out front would have helped. I've also seen people put delivery boxes at the end of their driveway for these sorts of things with instructions to put them in. Ideally I would want a gated driveway with the delivery box out front of it with cameras and motion alarms. Maybe someone could build one so that after something was put in it it would automatically lock and it would be bolted to a small cement slab to prevent theft.

Dude, chill.

Hello police? There is a delivery guy in my driveway. I've got eyes on him

 

[Bountied]

Amazon really should issue them a uniform vest.

Most have a blue vest that says Amazon on them. At least the ones that deliver to my house.

 

[GrimReaper]

Most of the same or next say amazon delivery's I have been getting are by people in personal vehicles.

I stay armed almost 2/47. I have a lot of vehicle and foot traffic on my street. Just one less thing you have to worry about if you have an intruder or a suspicious person comes by. Cameras are so cheap and easy to setup these days there's no excuse not to have at least one. I get an alert on my phone if a vehicle or person enters my driveway.

 

[Bountied]

They usually look like this. Not scary and not worth getting a firearm out for.

 

[pbharvey]

Maybe half the time an Amazon delivery at my house is delivered in a private vehicle it has a passenger in it. This makes it even creepier if my wife is home by herself and working outside when one man gets out and there's another one waiting in the car. I've never seen a private Amazon driver wear a vest.

 

[Ponder_MD]

The ones that show up in personal cars (not even a van) aren't usually wearing any kind of vest or identifying markings at all.
If they are issued a vest, they've chosen not to wear it.

 

[dannyp]

Most of the same or next say amazon delivery's I have been getting are by people in personal vehicles.

I stay armed almost 2/47. I have a lot of vehicle and foot traffic on my street. Just one less thing you have to worry about if you have an intruder or a suspicious person comes by. Cameras are so cheap and easy to setup these days there's no excuse not to have at least one. I get an alert on my phone if a vehicle or person enters my driveway.

this , camera's are too cheap not to have , i also stay armed almost all the time . better safe than sorry .

 

[trickg]

Not having any markings on the vehicle and the gentleman's ethnicity made me worry.

 

[Squaregrouper]

Most have a blue vest that says Amazon on them. At least the ones that deliver to my house.

Same here. Lots of private vehicles, but always wear the Amazon vest.

 

[ToolAA]

Same here. Lots of private vehicles, but always wear the Amazon vest.

This has got me thinking, what stops a would be criminal from driving around wearing an Amazon vest, holding a cardboard box and walking up to peoples homes casing them out. Are there cameras? Dogs? Any signs of someone home? No neighbor would consider that suspicious.


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[RFBfromDE]

This has got me thinking, what stops a would be criminal from driving around wearing an Amazon vest, holding a cardboard box and walking up to peoples homes casing them out. Are there cameras? Dogs? Any signs of someone home? No neighbor would consider that suspicious.


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Nothing.

They used to pretend to be the Phone or Gas Company.

 

[Bountied]

This has got me thinking, what stops a would be criminal from driving around wearing an Amazon vest, holding a cardboard box and walking up to peoples homes casing them out. Are there cameras? Dogs? Any signs of someone home? No neighbor would consider that suspicious.


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That's it I'm shooting everyone that comes in my driveway. Can't be too prepared or too safe.

What's keeping a guy with a hoodie on from walking up to your house and looking in the windows? Most neighbors don't sit there looking out their windows at your house to see who is coming and going, unless they are a bit psycho. That crazy old cat lady will let you know what's going on.

 

[gamer_jim]

I think the current client of illegal violence my concern was warranted.

 

[welder516]

In years past i could walk the halls of city schools with a hard hat and clip board without anyone approaching me. Really can do it in business or buildings still today. Just look the part.

 

[tourrider]

I get all kinds of people and vehicles delivery, 7 days a week. Last week a charger pulled in, looked to be a LE cruiser. Got me out of my chair for a moment. Realized it was a retired cop car.

 

[trickg]

I think the current client of illegal violence my concern was warranted.

Perhaps I've lived in the burbs long enough that there are all kinds of folks of every creed and color who come in and out of the neighborhood that I don't really think twice about it, or at least my thoughts don't drift towards anything sinister. I tend to think about things with the most logical conclusion:

1. A person may have gotten lost and are just trying to turn around.
2. A door-to-door solicitor who is in the neighborhood, just trying to do their job (if you have a "No Solicitors" sign, they may still have been trying to use your driveway to turn around.)
3. A food delivery person who accidentally came to the wrong address.
4. Private delivery person for Amazon
5. Someone trying to visit someone for some reason and got lost
6. Etc.

None of those things would have gotten me to the point where..."I should have shut and locked the door, armed myself and continue[d] to monitor from inside."

It's like the thread a couple of years back where some neighborhood Rambo in Edgewater came on here talking about door to door soliticitors trying to put something in his door, and going on about how, "The speed at which I moved was impressive. The rifle came off its rack, to my shoulder, I cleared the corner and it was leveled on the door, my finger on the bolt release. No further activity and after about 20 seconds at the ready, I approached the door at the low ready and saw the pair moving to the next door neighbor's house."

In Edgewater. Really?

In your case, this was actually someone you WANTED to come to your house.