My Nexus 5 was stolen by UPS

[Rabbiddog]

@corgi1, I can tell you that this is not uncommon. I used to work for UPS and phones especially, were some of the most stolen items off the sorting line because they are typically an expensive electronic and are easily pocketed. The way you described the packaging (both external and internal) being torn and re taped is indicative of someone stealing it off the sorting line. So far you have done the right thing and taken photos of the packaging. DO NOT THROW THE PACKAGING AWAY! Call UPS and file a claim. Typically they will send someone out to look at the packaging and take a statement. It may take some time, but eventually you should get a replacement device (or a refund depending on their relationship to the company shipping out the device).

 

[GoBigRed79]

I would think that it probably happened in one of the UPS distribution centers. Being a UPS driver is actually a really good job. They get paid very well, good benifits, ect. Guys work loading trucks for years waiting around for a driver spot to open. I just can't see a driver risking his job to steal a phone, considering he is going to be the first one questioned about it.

That said, he should have noticed that the box appeared tampered with and should have waited for you to come to the door.

 

[Rabbiddog]

I would think that it probably happened in one of the UPS distribution centers. Being a UPS driver is actually a really good job. They get paid very well, good benifits, ect. Guys work loading trucks for years waiting around for a driver spot to open. I just can't see a driver risking his job to steal a phone, considering he is going to be the first one questioned about it.

That said, he should have noticed that the box appeared tampered with and should have waited for you to come to the door.

You would be correct too. Most of the stealing is done by those working the sorting lines and who are usually temps. Most of the full timers who have been around a while do not do this and will report it when they see it.

 

[SevereDeceit]

When I ordered my Nexus 7 from Google UPS dropped it off at my door no signature required.

 

[DirkBelig]

My apartment replaced the mailboxes and the new ones didn't have doorbells so UPS has tended to just leave boxes on the porch. I had an HP TouchPad ganked because of that. Once they left the box on the edge of the porch where someone could see it from the street and swipe it without even having to go up the stairs AND it wasn't under the roof, so if it has been raining (as it did a couple hours later) it would've been soaked and sitting in a puddle.

I try to have stuff delivered to my g/f's house because there's usually someone there to sign for things, but Google shocked me by actually shipping my Nexus 5 the next day. I left a note for them to leave the package in between the doors. I came home to find it in the hall in front of my apartment door, courtesy a neighbor.

I've got a new Straight Talk SIM coming and the site said a signature would be necessary. It's coming via FedEx; we'll see.

UPDATE: I came home from work yesterday to find a door tag from FedEx. There was no address on it or identifying marks as to who it was for. I hadn't received a shipping notice, but found it in my spam folder for some reason. Tracked it and confirmed it was my tag. I signed the bottom and left it out and when I woke up today, I had the package in the door. Nice, though it's kinda weird that more care was taken with a $7 SIM than a $400 phone.

 

[Rabbiddog]

UPS doesn't automatically require a signature. For items under a certain value (IIRC I believe it was under $500) they only require a signature if the company shipping out the product requests it, or if you request it. If the value is over a certain amount then it is considered a high value item and UPS requires a signature regardless.

 

[scorpiodsu]

Just a question for you guys..... does the shipping label say it's coming from Google or is it some other disguised address? Just wondering because it could make it a easy target if it says Google on it. I know some places the shipping address would say something like:

Shipping Department
1234 Street Road
Your town, Your state

Just makes it less a target. But in some cases, people that work for these companies look through packages all the time trying to find goods and tape them back up when nothing valuable is there.

 

[Gekko]

Just a question for you guys..... does the shipping label say it's coming from Google or is it some other disguised address? Just wondering because it could make it a easy target if it says Google on it. I know some places the shipping address would say something like:

Shipping Department
1234 Street Road
Your town, Your state

Just makes it less a target. But in some cases, people that work for these companies look through packages all the time trying to find goods and tape them back up when nothing valuable is there.

it's disguised.

 

[scorpiodsu]

it's disguised.

Ok. Probably a worker who normally looks for packages to steal. It sucks. I sold a macbook pro on Amazon a few months back and USPS showed it was delivered and it was signed for. But the signature was not the person who I shipped it to. They said they never got it. But since I had signature confirmation and someone signed for it, I was off the hook and the buyer got refunded from Amazon. Not sure if the buyer was trying to scam or what but in any event, the signature confirmation for $2 saved me a headache in the event there was something shady going on with that post office.

 

[mrsmumbles]

Just a question for you guys..... does the shipping label say it's coming from Google or is it some other disguised address? Just wondering because it could make it a easy target if it says Google on it. I know some places the shipping address would say something like:

Shipping Department
1234 Street Road
Your town, Your state

Just makes it less a target. But in some cases, people that work for these companies look through packages all the time trying to find goods and tape them back up when nothing valuable is there.

The label says
(Their phone number, obscured on mine)
ups-scs ga
Bldg 1 dock door 54
2200 outer loop
Louisville ky 40219


Sent from my LG870 via Tapatalk 2

 

[Rabbiddog]

Just a question for you guys..... does the shipping label say it's coming from Google or is it some other disguised address? Just wondering because it could make it a easy target if it says Google on it. I know some places the shipping address would say something like:

Shipping Department
1234 Street Road
Your town, Your state

Just makes it less a target. But in some cases, people that work for these companies look through packages all the time trying to find goods and tape them back up when nothing valuable is there.

It depends on how the shipping account is set up. But it does require a valid source and destination address. But you do bring up a good point. The name on the packages is what a lot of those doing the stealing go by. If they see Verizon Wireless on the package and it is about the size of a smartphone, then it's a target.

The thing is, this also works against the thieves, because of these addresses, UPS can determine what time of day or night the package was sorted, what specific sorting line it was sorted down and then they narrow it down to who was working that line at that time. From there they simply watch and wait and eventually catch whoever is doing the stealing.

 

[Kage_]

The worst part is that since I could see by the tracking info that the package was out for delivery, I went ahead and listed my current phone on eBay with a buy it now price. I figured it would take a few days to sell, but no, it sold within a few hours. So now I must send off my current phone to the buyer who has already paid me and I have no new phone. Called Google and was told that they would open an investigation and would refund the full amount of my order, but that I would have to place a new order on the Play store if I wanted to replace the stolen Nexus 5. Of course the Play store is now out of stock and new orders are having to wait 3-4 weeks for it to ship.

Assuming your phone has a sim in it, go to Walmart or Target and get a thrown down prepaid phone and throw your sim in it. It'll work till you get the issue with the N5 resolved. Sucks that happened, but having worked for UPS in the past they have a whole fraud division and I know they will track the person down.

 

[Gekko]

Google contracts with UPS Logistics for order fulfillment. i believe that supply begins transit in a UPS warehouse at the hub and is shipped directly from there. In other words, these puppies are already in UPS's hands before they are even ordered by the customer. given that - i think it would be easy for a UPS worker to know who the package was from and even what it was - even WITHOUT the "from" name on the package. they could simply look at the codes on the box or batch of boxes or know that it came from "Bldg 1 dock door 54" (which everyone at UPS knows is Google's) and line it up with Google Play Devices and know it was an expensive piece of electronics.

 

[Gekko]

OP - what carrier are you with/going with? prepaid or postpaid?

 

[Gekko]

I would think that it probably happened in one of the UPS distribution centers. Being a UPS driver is actually a really good job. They get paid very well, good benifits, ect. Guys work loading trucks for years waiting around for a driver spot to open. I just can't see a driver risking his job to steal a phone, considering he is going to be the first one questioned about it.

That said, he should have noticed that the box appeared tampered with and should have waited for you to come to the door.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6aIPIsUE5I

 

[LindtChocolate]

Disgusting pigs. Thieves are right up there with murderers and rapists if you ask me, just a part of the trio of pathetic scum. Just take solace in that whoever stole this product likely has nothing else proper going for him in his life. I hope you enjoy your N5 when you get it.

 

[kpetrie77]

Something is funny in KY. I have two on order that Google says left their warehouse Saturday and UPS has no record of it aside from ready for pickup. Customer service opened an investigation.

Sent from my HTC6500LVW using Tapatalk

 

[Gekko]

if you sign up for "UPS My Choice" for free and you can provide delivery instructions.

 

[scorpiodsu]

Google contracts with UPS Logistics for order fulfillment. i believe that supply begins transit in a UPS warehouse at the hub and is shipped directly from there. In other words, these puppies are already in UPS's hands before they are even ordered by the customer. given that - i think it would be easy for a UPS worker to know who the package was from and even what it was - even WITHOUT the "from" name on the package. they could simply look at the codes on the box or batch of boxes or know that it came from "Bldg 1 dock door 54" (which everyone at UPS knows is Google's) and line it up with Google Play Devices and know it was an expensive piece of electronics.

I agree with you but that's assuming that the thief is someone who works at one of those locations and not a driver who just gets packages loaded on their truck or even a loader themselves who may not know this info. It would seem that a driver would not know those things. But I agree with you.

I wonder why even a driver would deliver a package like that. Especially if I see that it has been opened and resealed. I suppose there are plenty of packages where the shipper uses old boxes and sometimes reopens before finally dropping off but I wonder if they should even call something like that in just as a precaution. I don't know. Guess they don't care because they don't have to deal with it.

 

[dmcincubus]

No did not require a signature, but in this case it would not have made a difference. I was home when it was delivered, I even told the driver "thanks" as he was walking back to the truck. Don't think it was the driver that took the phone, but it could be, no way to know for sure. My guess is that someone at one of the multiple sorting stations it passed through from Kentucky to California took it and taped the end and sent it on its way to me. After reporting it to Google, I received an email asking for consent for Google to disable the phone that has the IMEI/Serial # of what was shipped to me. So whoever got it may just have a brick now.

good on google. that is awesome. really sorry to hear about your phone, dude. that sucks.