Jersey City Cops Use Fake Amazon Boxes and Doorbell Cameras to Catch Thieves

cageymaru

cageymaru

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Police in Jersey City, New Jersey are teaming up with Amazon to plant fake Amazon packages with GPS tracking devices and install doorbell cameras to catch thieves. These sting operations are happening at homes all over the city. Statistics from insuranceQuotes.com says that 1 in 12 Americans have had a holiday package stolen from their homes. Police Captain James Crecco says that his mother was a victim and the Mayor has had packages stolen also. Amazon is supplying the equipment for the sting operations in Jersey City for free.

"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." The suspect was caught, Crecco added. "Most of the package thefts we've made arrests on revolve around (closed-circuit TV) or private surveillance cameras that give us a still image," Kelly said. "With the bait packages, some will be under video surveillance, and some will have GPS."
 
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steakman1971

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Local news - some dude stole an Amazon box from someone's porch. The news article described the contents are urine bottles. (I'm assuming these are for someone who has a hard time getting around and can't make it to the bathroom.)
Imagine robbing someone and finding out that was your prize. It would have been better if they had stuff in them. Nice mug shot for the parents too!
 
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Rob94hawk

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Smashing Young Man said:
I have a strong innate respect for private property, so I have an especially potent hatred of thieves. I'd be fine with chopping off their hands, no joke.
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I'd rather do to the person like in the movie Casino. Smash their dominant hand with a hammer but they can keep the box but only after their other hand is smashed.
 
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Oldmodder

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I cant believe that Americans do this way of getting parcels, IMO it warrant a level of trust in your fellow man that just don't don't make sense to me.
I would for sure come up with some form of booby-trapped parcel, i am thinking something delayed 20 seconds powered by a 12 G CO2 canister that fling nasty stuff around if the parcel are moved.
Okay i am also thinking more violent things, that i would probably turn to if i had been ripped off like that.
 
N4CR

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Someone needs to piss balloons with thumbtacks for when the thief tips/moves the box suddenly ;)
 
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nutzo

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Smashing Young Man said:
I have a strong innate respect for private property, so I have an especially potent hatred of thieves. I'd be fine with chopping off their hands, no joke.
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1st offense fine/jail/warning.
2nd office lose your thumb (harder to pick stuff up)
3rd offense loose your hand.
4th offense loose your head as you have proven that you will never change, and will forever be a drain on society.

Only problem with this is that if you lost a hand in an accident, most people will think you are a thief.
 
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collegeboy69us

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Smashing Young Man said:
I have a strong innate respect for private property, so I have an especially potent hatred of thieves. I'd be fine with chopping off their hands, no joke.
Click to expand...
yup - this is the first thing that comes to my mind as well. Most people would cry foul and be happy to let the thief go so they can do it over and over again.

Package theft would drop 99% almost overnight if the thieves knew when caught they lose a very important body part when caught.
 
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Galvin

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The lady trying to sue homeowner. Proves that she did a crime. She probably dropped the suit when she found that out
 
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Jza

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As someone who lived in Jersey City their entire life until last year, I approve. GJ mayor Fulop.
 
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WBurchnall

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It's a way way better way of charging people with misdemeanors and fines then setting up speed traps against people going ten over,on long straight highways in the summer months. Immediately following a change of speed sign of course.

At least here you're catching disputable people and teaching a lesson not to steal as you never know whose watching and it can have lifetime consequences.
 
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Bootleg Usher

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A similar story ran on my local news. They suggested things like "knowing when your package is coming so that you can be present during delivery".

Why are they missing the obvious solution: Have it sent to the post office or depot near you so that you can pick it up yourself. It's what I do, never failed me.
 
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polonyc2

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they should put GPS tracking into all packages...not just for this sting operation
 
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alxlwson

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sfsuphysics said:
She also sued the homeowner, not sure how far that went though.
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Just spent ten minutes trying to verify this claim...unable to locate.

Not even sure what they could sue over. Not drying thee grass after a rain? Lol
 
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Smashing Young Man

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collegeboy69us said:
yup - this is the first thing that comes to my mind as well. Most people would cry foul and be happy to let the thief go so they can do it over and over again.
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Well you can bring a lawsuit for almost anything; it's just a matter of finding a Saul-esque willing lawyer followed by how quickly it gets thrown out of court.
 
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clockdogg

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Combine the Fake Amazon boxes with Yarmouth's police mannequins - low cost law enforcement synergy.

"These dummies have become a real staple of policing here in Yarmouth," he says. "By 2021, we're be fully mannequins-manned force."

The city has seen a drastic reduction in crime since the program began, says Chief Wynn—something he attributes to the presence of the fake police officers.

"We're seeing less arrests since these mannequins have been on the streets," he says.
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;-)
 
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alxlwson

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Was gonna reply to that stupid comment that someone just posted blaming Amazon for "creating this phenomenon" but I think he quickly realized he had a stroke and deleted the ignorance
 
NeghVar

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Fort Worth, TX has a similar program going on. It is called Operation : Grinch Pinch
 
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theBrownLlama

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...great idea to put boxes out in the open....

where are the pick up centers?

man, are ppl requesting drop offs at less reputable neighborhoods...?
 
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Formula.350

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sfsuphysics said:
Wow no one crying entrapment... yet
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I was going to ask if this wouldn't just be a textbook example of entrapment lol

That said, it's not that I don't agree with catching criminals, but what I worry about is it snowballing into allowing for them to go one step further. Before you know it, we're living in Minority Report heh (And if I wasn't too lazy to Google, I'd find the article about the one group who are using AI to profile and arrest people, which is a bit nuts IMO)


alxlwson said:
Was gonna reply to that stupid comment that someone just posted blaming Amazon for "creating this phenomenon" but I think he quickly realized he had a stroke and deleted the ignorance
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I think I can somewhat understand where they were going with that. It's a matter of having their brand on the box, which in turn is just screaming "Hey, there's likely something of value in here!". It's similar to NewEgg, who also has an external label on their box. I don't agree with that, personally, as THAT is indeed just making them a target. If all you need are some binoculars to see where the package has come from, and as a result can be almost certain of a high dollar score (such as with NewEgg), there's less risk for the criminals since they won't have to steal in volume, and in turn harder to catch.

If you unbrand all the boxes, well now you're going to have to walk up to it an scope our where it was sent from to get an idea. At least now they'd be sticking their neck out at the risk of being caught.

But beyond that, it's definitely not Amazon's fault for creating the situation overall. Packages have been delivered and left on doorstops for ever. Granted, Amazon has caused a huge uptick in the amount of packages going out, but so had eBay for that matter.
 
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ChoGGi

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nutzo said:
1st offense fine/jail/warning.
2nd office lose your thumb (harder to pick stuff up)
3rd offense loose your hand.
4th offense loose your head as you have proven that you will never change, and will forever be a drain on society.

Only problem with this is that if you lost a hand in an accident, most people will think you are a thief.
Click to expand...
That's what branding is for.
 
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Derangel

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collegeboy69us said:
yup - this is the first thing that comes to my mind as well. Most people would cry foul and be happy to let the thief go so they can do it over and over again.

Package theft would drop 99% almost overnight if the thieves knew when caught they lose a very important body part when caught.
Click to expand...
Kind of like how harsh drug penalties made people stop doing drugs? Or how three strikes laws had a noticeable impact on crime rates? Deterrence might have some effect, but you're fooling yourself if you think it would have anything even in the ballpark of 20%, much less 99%.
 
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Why leave the packages out in the open if concerned for thieves?
 
focbde

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nutzo said:
I was just going to ask if she sued.

It should be the law that if you are hurt during the commission of a crime, you loose the right to sue.
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Not only that, but any medical care required not covered by insurance.
 
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faugusztin

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Bootleg Usher said:
A similar story ran on my local news. They suggested things like "knowing when your package is coming so that you can be present during delivery".

Why are they missing the obvious solution: Have it sent to the post office or depot near you so that you can pick it up yourself. It's what I do, never failed me.
Click to expand...
No, the obvious solution is how couriers operate in many countries - call the person through the phone number on the package when a package is being delivered, and if person is not present to provide signature, do not deliver the package. Done, no package stealing.
 
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DukenukemX

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Smashing Young Man said:
I have a strong innate respect for private property, so I have an especially potent hatred of thieves. I'd be fine with chopping off their hands, no joke.
Click to expand...
Woah, I'm fine with punishment but chopping off hands? This ain't Turkey, this is Jersey.
 
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vegeta535

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faugusztin said:
No, the obvious solution is how couriers operate in many countries - call the person through the phone number on the package when a package is being delivered, and if person is not present to provide signature, do not deliver the package. Done, no package stealing.
Click to expand...
Cause delivery drivers ain't rushed and over worked as is. also people are normally at work during delivery times. It could a huge time inconvenience to go to a local hub to pick a package up after work
 
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