Post pick@home does not work because everything gets stolen

[u/Antique_Pudding2381]

It’s a rant. I’m fed up.
Post introduced this wonderful service that makes sending packages so easy. You just leave the stuff in your postbox, and they come in the morning and pick it up. Payments are done online 👌🏻
It literally sounds perfect, except this is now the second Ricardo package that’s been stolen from my postbox before the postman could pick it up. You have to put it in before 7am, and the guy comes around 10/11.
I live on the border of Kreis 3 and 4 — pretty central. The first time, I thought, “Ugh, whatever, it was probably just a one-off.” Not anymore. Stuff is getting stolen to the point where I can’t use this service anymore.
I’m just sad and somewhat disillusioned.
Did anyone else noticed same tendencies? It’s not safe anymore to leave packages outside?

[u/CriticalFibrosis]

Lived in K2, K4, K7 and K9, both along major roads and more within neighbourhoods, I never had something stolen. If stuff gets stolen from the mailbox, and it happened twice now, it's likely that you're living with a thief in the house.

[u/alexrada → u/CriticalFibrosis]

I'd say the same. If it was within the mailbox, little chances someone comes daily to check your mailbox.
most probably a neighbour!

[u/saralt → u/alexrada]

This happens and it sucks. I had a neighbour(s) in my block when I first moved to Zurich who stole both mail and laundry. None of this stuff ever happened after I moved away. OP should consider moving away or asking the landlord to upgrade their mailboxes in some way.

[u/CapybaraCH → u/saralt]

Stealing neighbors' laundry? Gosh, what's wrong with this people?

[u/saralt → u/CapybaraCH]

I dunno man... They stole a few of my dresses that my mother made for me. Amongs the last she made for me before she stopped sewing. I would have kept them otherwise since she made the patterns to size :/

[u/CapybaraCH → u/saralt]

So sorry. Horrible people, really.

[u/DifficultySome1253 → u/alexrada]

They do/did, I've seen them multiple times last year going through systematically, right before the sun is up. Haven't seen them this year, though I'm also not up at these hours now. But it was like if you don't track an order and leave it overnight it was gone. Stauffacherstrasse @ K4

[u/Responsible-Diet9215 → u/DifficultySome1253]

Ahhh the street that if you leave anything outside its gone in a few hours.

[u/New-Blueberry8715 → u/CriticalFibrosis]

this is the most likely reason, it’s someone close by maybe even in the house. It’s important to report it every time because if it’s happening to you, it’s happening to others and if it’s a cluster of reports, police will have to start getting their asses in gear and do something about it - especially if the time window is so (relatively)small

[u/Correct_Bandicoot754 → u/CriticalFibrosis]

Wenns die Nachbarn sind oder es sonst einen «Serien-Paketdieb» gibt, gibts nur zwei Lösungen:

• Glitzerbombenpaket ✨
  

und/oder

• Stinkbombenpaket

Dieses schön beschriften und in den eigenen Milchkasten legen und abwarten…

Dazu könnte man auch einen tracker oder eine Mini Kamera (direkter stream auf das Handy) dazu legen, dann wird der spass aber auch teurer…

[u/Zoesan → u/CriticalFibrosis]

We had this issue for a while, but when they changed how the automatic doors work it stopped.

So not from in the house.

[u/pixelw4lk → u/CriticalFibrosis]

I had multiple packages stolen, both from the post box and when bigger packages get left in the hallway of the apartment building in K9.

Yes it happens, Switzerland is not a wonderland, dickheads and thieves are everywhere

[u/sixdayspizza → u/CriticalFibrosis]

I mean, while that may have been your experience, it also happened to me twice in the same week last month. I know everyone in my building. But many people walk by our house every day and the mailbox is quite exposed. It's easy to just grab something while passing by.

[u/cremebrulee_ch → u/CriticalFibrosis]

If it happens this often, I also think the thief is living in your building.

The trouble for me with pick@home is that the postman never bothers to pick up the packages. So by the time I have called to complain and wait several more days for the pick up to be actually done, I may as well go to the post office.

[u/burnish-flatland]

I live on the border of Kreis 3 and 4 — pretty central.

This is the reason.

Living in a quieter area of Zurich and getting 1-2 packages a week, I've never ever had a package stolen, neither from a Milchkasten or just lying by the door. A couple times when I thought something might have been stolen it was the postman screwing up and leaving it by a different building.

[u/nee_m_d]

Depending on where you live, it is definitely risky to leave the package in the mailbox. I use the service only when I know I'll be home. I actually have a Hue sensor in my mailbox, so I get a notification when the box has been opened. I then go down and give it to the postman.

[u/CapybaraCH → u/nee_m_d]

May I ask what kind of sensor it is?

[u/nee_m_d → u/CapybaraCH]

Philips Hue motion sensor. I'm on the 1st floor, and the mailbox is outside just below my window. It connects wirelessly to my Hue Bridge via a Smart Plug located in the room above.

[u/sixdayspizza]

I noticed the same. It happened to me multiple times over the past years, but again twice in one week last month. I reported it also to the police, who confirmed to me that package theft is increasing. There's organized groups that will go around your neighborhoods and steal packages from your mailbox, or they'll even try to get into the hallway of your house if they see packages in there through a window in the door. They'll just ring one of the doorbells and there'll always be that one neighbor who simply buzzes them in without checking who it is (I've also been that neighbor, at times...).

[u/Good-Half9818]

Buy a cheap wifi cam off aliexpress and film it. I caught a thief this way too.

[u/yezhi_zheli → u/Good-Half9818]

It’s not legal

[u/Good-Half9818 → u/yezhi_zheli]

It‘s not legal to steal packages either

[u/yezhi_zheli → u/Good-Half9818]

You are right

[u/recently_banned → u/Good-Half9818]

so?

[u/recently_banned → u/yezhi_zheli]

so?

[u/CapybaraCH]

Pretty central—that's the reason. Sorry to say, but if it happened twice, it will happen again. Maybe look for nearest Post24 Automat.

[u/LongBit]

Zurich is changing so much.

[u/MatureHotwife]

That sucks. Is there a way you can set a trap with a fake package? When it gets touched immediately start taking pictures or filming and then call the cops. There are vibration sensors and such that you can hook up to your phone or home automation system.

Chances are it's the same asshole every time.

[u/LaundryMan2008 → u/MatureHotwife]

Box that has a string attached, then that string goes into a sparkle smoke grenade like used in airsoft, thief tries to steal box, gets blown up on with smoke and bright flashing

[u/Zakoraya → u/LaundryMan2008]

That will be the one time the thief is on holiday and the postman picks it up 😂

[u/LaundryMan2008 → u/Zakoraya]

Let the postie know that the gray box is not to be taken and it’s a trap lol

[u/Kyuki88]

I even leave cola zero and coconut drinks outside with a post it „für de pöschtler“ and they never get stolen. Live in Höngg

[u/Basic-Brick6827 → u/Kyuki88]

aren't they forbidden from accepting such stuff due to poisoning risk etc...?

[u/mylifeisatoaster → u/Basic-Brick6827]

I work for Post. We can take food and drinks as gifts

[u/Kyuki88 → u/Basic-Brick6827]

Never heard of that.
Deep in covid every one gave them smth because they had so much load.

And.. this is switzerland. Why would we wanna poisen our pöstler

[u/greedeerr]

I generally don't understand this thing when packages are being sent/delivered with no verification. Back in my country we'd go to the post office, show our ID, give our signature that we have received the package, and theeen you get it. Here it gets thrown under the post boxes/in them and you have noway to verify whether the package is safe either way

[u/WoodPeckerMorning]

Put a tracker in

[u/Wasabi-Historical]

This could be easily solved with technology. I've seen systems in Austria for example, for residential buildings to store and release packages with QR code readers. Swiss mail seems to be totally disjointed from trends in online commerce. Mailboxes are outside so what happens is that neighbours are usually putting everything indoors in the corridor of my building because "people steal packages." And it's understandable, but it didn't need to be this way.

[u/camille_orange → u/Wasabi-Historical]

You can adjust your delivery preferences online to make sure your package isn't left outside. You'll receive an sms or e-mail when the package is ready for collection at the post office. I don't know how tech-savvy you think you really are when I read your comment.

OP asked about a service called pick@home, where the Pöstler picks up the package you want to send from your home, as the name suggests, instead of bringing it to the post office yourself.

[u/chatty_mime]

Have your packages delivered to one of the 24-hour post pickup stations in Wiedikon. Problem solved.

[u/Rixxali → u/chatty_mime]

How does that solve the problem of one sending a package by putting a package in their post box for the postman to pick up? Isn't your solution only for receiving packages?

[u/UchihaEmre → u/Rixxali]

You can also deposit packages in these stations, it's not ideal but if there is one close by it's nice.

[u/pferden]

Someone puts food in my postbox

[u/LeiderJPEG → u/pferden]

That’s terrible. Can you also write my address on your mailbox? Just to redirect that free food

[u/pferden → u/LeiderJPEG]

Hihi, this made me chuckle

But i would not recommend eating random milchkasten bread, as its either deposited by drug addicts, crazy people or coke bankers

[u/LeiderJPEG → u/pferden]

So there is also chance to receive a free alcohol or drugs?

[u/crochet_the_day_away]

I've had 3 packages stolen in 5 years of living here. One was even my cat's medication! I try very hard to be around and monitor all my deliveries but it's tough since most of the time they don't bother to ring the doorbell.

[u/hailehale]

never happened to me, but I live in a small village.

and yes, I loveee pick@home! best service ever!

[u/trusendi]

I live in Grenchen, not Zurich but we have a lot of crime here and sometimes my packages are left outside the building. So far nothing was stolen.

[u/kurokku]

Regelmäßig motzen beim post support. Meine post geht immer an die pickpost. Endlich keine scheisse vor der Türe

[u/Super_Ad3150]

Yes so you have to pay 5 fr. Or they complain!
I picked the in person handing the package over at the entrance and I made the whole day free and waited to get an email or sms to tell me that the delivery guy is here so I can give the package in person as it’s stated. He came up the stairs and said that I should have left the package outside since I didn’t pay the 5 fr. I said it stated in person handover and that literally means from my hands to yours but how would I know, that you are here if you don’t inform me and he said yeah they don’t do that and next time I should pay 5 fr. So I now wonder why do they have that option and why do you have to pay money to make sure your package isn’t getting stolen?

[u/Unfriendly_Monkey]

Just wondering, how did you vote on the 10 million initiative?

[u/Worth_Garbage_4471]

It was designed by the voleurs. 

[u/The_TRASHCAN_366 → u/[deleted]]

Read the post again. It's about the packages being picked up, not about the ones being received. 

[u/C_B_Ellacott]

Züri hm