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Yes, and that can be dealt with through the laws in existence already, without creating a brand new felony.
Theft of a large number of items is a felony. Theft of one $15 hasn't been a felony, and shouldn't be one now.
Are you aware of how many people on fixed incomes have medicines delivered? Life saving medications, and they may or may not be "expensive" to you but they are expensive in both monetary terms and health terms to many people.
Like others have been trying to get across to you, thieves don't know what's in the packages - that's really not even the point. Hey, novel idea - don't steal packages off peoples' porches and you won't be charged with a crime. Seems pretty easy to avoid prosecution to me but hey, what do I know? I don't have a criminal mind or record.
Something has to be done, Clara. Innocent people are having thousands of packages stolen off of their porches every year, and a slap on the wrist isn't doing a damn thing to deter the thieves. In other countries, the thief would be missing a hand or two.
Stealing is stealing, period. If hardworking people can not be safe in their own homes without some idiot walking up and taking things they paid for, then this country is in trouble.
I so agree with this, people have a right to have their homes and items that they paid for protected. I don't care if they get charged with a felony and spend years in jail.
The sad thing is how many choose to be low life's and steal from people.
Are you aware of how many people on fixed incomes have medicines delivered? Life saving medications, and they may or may not be "expensive" to you but they are expensive in both monetary terms and health terms to many people.
Like others have been trying to get across to you, thieves don't know what's in the packages - that's really not even the point. Hey, novel idea - don't steal packages off peoples' porches and you won't be charged with a crime. Seems pretty easy to avoid prosecution to me but hey, what do I know? I don't have a criminal mind or record.
Exactly! If you are not a thief, why argue about whether the crime should be a felony or a misdemeanor? I know I won't lose any sleep over what happens to them.
I don't agree that it covers that. USPS never dropped packages, unsupervised, on porches. It's only very recent, and the law hasn't changed to cover that. Used to be, if the package didn't fit in your mailbox the postman might have tried to hand deliver it, or failing that, would put a note in your mailbox that a package was waiting for you at the post office. It was never just left, unsupervised, on your porch. USPS theft laws didn't predict that would happen, and don't cover that scenario.
The bigger picture of this thread I started, I don't want the theft of a "package" on a doorstep to automatically be a felony. That's craziness.
Really. Can you imagine. The theft of a "package" left on a doorstep being a felony. That would cover a soccer ball that was left behind at soccer practice that the coach put in a grocery sack and left on the player's front porch. Some other kid happens onto the porch, sees the soccer ball and takes it.
Do you really want that to be a felony? Speaking only for myself, I don't. And that's the way this law is loosely written.
Actually, yes I can imagine that. Because stealing U.S. Mail has been a felony since at least the 1940s. So it's not hard to imagine.
Do I want it to be a felony? I'm neutral. I don't disagree with you, that package theft being a felony is overkill, but I also sympathise with people who are fed up with their packages being stolen.
Unfortunately this will not solve the problem. Because package theft is just too easy. Most packages are stolen by professional thieves who wear disguises and often are driving stolen vehicles. They know they will be on video, but they don't care, because they can follow a delivery truck and steal dozens of packages in a short time, and be on their way down the road, before anybody even knows. There is almost no chance of them being caught, because our law enforcement officers are low IQ, incompetent, bumbling fools, who can't even catch murderers, let alone package thieves. The most they might catch are a few amature idiots who steal their neighbor's package. But it will do nothing to stop the professionals who steal the bulk of the packages.
This reminds me of those signs "$1000 FINE FOR LITTERING". They know they can't stop people from doing it, so they try to scare them out of doing it with a big fine.
That's not how it works with package theft. Ask the USPS. It's been a federal felony to steal packages for years no matter what's inside.
Yes, but thats only applicable to the USPS, (not fedex, UPS, dhl, etc), and that law really applies more to someone stealing another persons mail.
I cannot agree with this either, the laws in place already are effective, the seriousness rises with the value of the stolen property.
IM not surprised that so many people support this though, the police state have made it an art form to 'disguise' their agenda, using safety/security, PLENTY of people are duped easily by this.
Actually, yes I can imagine that. Because stealing U.S. Mail has been a felony since at least the 1940s. So it's not hard to imagine.
Do I want it to be a felony? I'm neutral. I don't disagree with you, that package theft being a felony is overkill, but I also sympathise with people who are fed up with their packages being stolen.
Unfortunately this will not solve the problem. Because package theft is just too easy. Most packages are stolen by professional thieves who wear disguises and often are driving stolen vehicles. They know they will be on video, but they don't care, because they can follow a delivery truck and steal dozens of packages in a short time, and be on their way down the road, before anybody even knows. There is almost no chance of them being caught, because our law enforcement officers are low IQ, incompetent, bumbling fools, who can't even catch murderers, let alone package thieves. The most they might catch are a few amature idiots who steal their neighbor's package. But it will do nothing to stop the professionals who steal the bulk of the packages.
This reminds me of those signs "$1000 FINE FOR LITTERING". They know they can't stop people from doing it, so they try to scare them out of doing it with a big fine.
True, I was just talking to a UPS driver the other day about this, he said this happens all the time, but the media never reports on it,(at the request of UPS, DHL, Fedex, etc), they dont want to risk too many people being scared of using these delivery companies.
He said the best way to avoid this ever happening, is to set up your delivery so it must be signed for, if you are not home when they come, they leave a notice, telling you where you can come pick up your package, seems to me this would solve the problem altogether, no packages on porches to be stolen in the first place!
B.S. As usual. The USPS has been leaving packages on front porches for years.
I remember when I was younger living in some cheapo apartment buildings where the mail boxes were in the lobby. If somebody was available to let the mailman in, they would drop packages infront of people's doors. If not, they would just leave them all on the lobby floor under the mail boxes. Everybody would have to look through the packages to see if any was theirs. The first apartment I had, was an unsecured building and the mail boxes weren't even locked. Surprising enough, I don't ever remember any of my packages or mail being stolen. In the last 20 years all those type of apartment mail boxes have been replaced with outdoor cluster boxes and parcel lockers owned by the USPS.
So leaving packages on porches and infront of doors was even more common than it is today. The obvious solution to the problem is for every house to have their own locked package delivery box on their porch. They aren't cheap, but they will keep your packages safe.
Yes, but thats only applicable to the USPS, (not fedex, UPS, dhl, etc), and that law really applies more to someone stealing another persons mail.
I cannot agree with this either, the laws in place already are effective, the seriousness rises with the value of the stolen property.
IM not surprised that so many people support this though, the police state have made it an art form to 'disguise' their agenda, using safety/security, PLENTY of people are duped easily by this.
Many people are on board with it because they are tired of their damn packages getting stolen.
Agreed - and if the people of Texas want to change their laws to make package theft a felony, I am fine with that. Don't want to become a convicted felon? Then don't go up onto people's property and steal packages left there. Package theft is hardly something that happens by accident.
The onus shouldn't be on the law-abiding to lock down everything of value that they own. The onus should be on people not to steal. Becoming a thief is a deliberate choice, and it's a choice we should punish severely. It is NOT a petty crime, even if the item stolen is of little monetary value.
Agree 100%. Even if the items are just $15, it is still wrong especially for those who are on limited income. I have absolutely no sympathy for someone who steals pkgs. This isn’t the same as a kid shoplifting in a dare, (even though I believe they should be fined enough to discourage them) these are grown adults who know enough that not much would happen to them.
I remember when I was younger living in some cheapo apartment buildings where the mail boxes were in the lobby. If somebody was available to let the mailman in, they would drop packages infront of people's doors. If not, they would just leave them all on the lobby floor under the mail boxes. Everybody would have to look through the packages to see if any was theirs. The first apartment I had, was an unsecured building and the mail boxes weren't even locked. Surprising enough, I don't ever remember any of my packages or mail being stolen. In the last 20 years all those type of apartment mail boxes have been replaced with outdoor cluster boxes and parcel lockers owned by the USPS.
So leaving packages on porches and infront of doors was even more common than it is today.
It's a two-fold change: more packages are likely to be holding something of high value than back when we were young, and there's been a cultural shift toward more tolerance of petty theft (as demonstrated by the OP's original post).
Quote:
The obvious solution to the problem is for every house to have their own locked package delivery box on their porch. They aren't cheap, but they will keep your packages safe.
Unless you can't afford one, or your package won't fit in the box, or you don't have the box securely bolted down and the thieves just pick up the whole box and make off with it (or they have the tools needed to forceably break into the box to steal the contents - the box in your picture looks like it could be defeated easily enough with just a good bolt-cutter).
A package delivery box helps, definitely. But it's only a partial solution to the problem. Recognizing this to be a serious crime and treating it accordingly if/when the perps get caught is also part of the solution.
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