Caught someone stealing my Mail, whats my play?

[veganmav]

To clarify, ... Packages are being stolen, not envelope mail.

I live with 3 other friends Near Ohio state university Campus. It's all big houses here filled with college students. I have lived here for about 6 months.

I have had 2 packages sent here that never arrived, my other roommate also had a package sent, and confirmed, but he never got it, so they resent it, confirmed drop off on our porch but he also never got it.

We have an enclosed porch, but separate from the house, so you can come into the porch area without a key, but to get into the house after that you need a key. When we successfully get packages they are left on the floor of this porch.

I have discussed it with my roommates, and we all decided that we think someone is stealing packages from this neighborhood.

My roommates tell me that our mail is usually delivered around 11AM (I am usually asleep cus I play poker till late, then get up around noon). Today though, I had to get up early to go to a massage at Noon, so I am putting on some clothes at aprox 1130 and I see some black person (I think a woman) walking up to our house, wearing a hat, and a coat up high. I wonder why she's coming to visit our house, then I realize that there is a for rent sign in the front yard, and think nothing of it. I continue putting on my clothes, and a few seconds later I hear the porch door slam. At this point I think we are getting robbed (we have been robbed before), so I look for my cell fone to get ready to call the 911, I can't find it, so I slowly walk downstairs. No one is there, and that's when I realize we prolly just got our package stolen. I think back and remember I saw the person walking slowly down the street looking around aimlessly before walking up to the house and the mail had just come.

I am 90% certain that this is the person who has been taking our packages.

I talked with my roommates and we think that the thief watches for the mailman to see where packages are dropped off, then the theif waits a little while, and goes and gets the package if it hasn't been picked up by the rightful owner.

So, I have a package that I bought off ebay that should be coming monday or tuesday.

I have a few ideas.

A: get 3 of my best friends together, hold a stake out, catch the villain, and hold them until the police get there.

B: call the police and ask them to come try to catch the person

C: Leave my camera to videotape the porch room candidly, and catch the villain on videotape.

D: get friends together, catch the theif, and blackmail them into giving me my stuff back, (and some extra $ maybe) and then turn them into the police

E: I have a videocamera I could use to catch them, and maybe show to the plice or something.

I am also open to suggestions

[Brainwalter]

Have a bomb delivered to your house.

[Klompy]

Anything other then having you and all your roomates poop in a box, covering it with packing peanuts, and replacing your package when it comes is a mistake.

[veganmav]

[ QUOTE ]
Anything other then having you and all your roomates pooping in a box, covering it with packing peanuts, and replacing your package when it comes is a mistake.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've thought of this, but I am very pissed at the thief cus they have stuff that I want very much. So I want a chance to get my stuff back, (at least the sentimental package is a possibility).

If we send a gag package, this tips the thief off, and I have almost no chance of catching them.

[edfurlong]

Keep in mind that A will result in a huge lawsuit due to the damage that will no doubt be done to her neck and/or back.

You have tons of cash, hire a PI or bondsman to take some pictures and follow her home etc.

[Vehn]

thief

[Klompy]

There's no reason you couldn't still videotape them stealing the poop package. I think we nead some lawyers in here though to tell us if they can still get in trouble for this.

[Alobar]

Video tape it and give the tape to the police. Stealing mail is a federal offensive, you arent going to need to try and black mail the theif, when the law comes down on him hes going to be [censored] his pants and begging to give you your stuff back. Also any scenerio involving your friends and you confronting him is bad, especially if it involves you detaining him until the cops show up, legally he could press kidnapping charges against you, plus you run the risk of some kind of confrontation which is -EV no matter how it ends up.

So basically, just video tape it, and call the cops.

[onthebutton]

Now maybe you know how people feel when you steal their garbage.

[Banks2334]

I know you want to catch the thief, but in the mean time, have all deliveries require a signature. Yes, it can be a pain in the ass, but it sure beats getting stuff stolen.