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How best to "hide in plain sight" on the porch?

B

blackjackmark

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 19, 2010
501
205
I'm leaving a note for the UPS driver to leave the iPhone. I'm assuming it's shipped in a box just ever so slightly bigger than its shrinkwrapped display box. It would likely go unnoticed on my recessed front porch. But, there's always a chance that someone could grab it before I get home to claim it.

I've been thinking about putting an empty (clean!) outdoor recycling trash can on my porch and asking the driver to place it inside...thinking that no one would come to my door to steal a garbage can, would they? (and FWIW, it is NOT trach day!) :eek:

Or maybe one of those yard waste bags?

Or what other "hide in plain sight" methods might I use?

Then again, I don't want to put something really weird on the porch that would draw undue attention.


And is my assumption that there's basically a thin cardboard sleeve wrapped around the normal display box accurate, so we're talking about a very small package?
 
blackjackmark said:
I'm leaving a note for the UPS driver to leave the iPhone. I'm assuming it's shipped in a box just ever so slightly bigger than its shrinkwrapped display box. It would likely go unnoticed on my recessed front porch. But, there's always a chance that someone could grab it before I get home to claim it.

I've been thinking about putting an empty (clean!) outdoor recycling trash can on my porch and asking the driver to place it inside...thinking that no one would come to my door to steal a garbage can, would they? (and FWIW, it is NOT trach day!) :eek:

Or maybe one of those yard waste bags?

Or what other "hide in plain sight" methods might I use?

Then again, I don't want to put something really weird on the porch that would draw undue attention.


And is my assumption that there's basically a thin cardboard sleeve wrapped around the normal display box accurate, so we're talking about a very small package?
Click to expand...

Before I help you, I would first need your address.
 
Tell me where you live and i'll take care of it for you. ;) I'll hide it so well you won't even be able to find it.
 
blackjackmark said:
I'm leaving a note for the UPS driver to leave the iPhone. I'm assuming it's shipped in a box just ever so slightly bigger than its shrinkwrapped display box. It would likely go unnoticed on my recessed front porch. But, there's always a chance that someone could grab it before I get home to claim it.

I've been thinking about putting an empty (clean!) outdoor recycling trash can on my porch and asking the driver to place it inside...thinking that no one would come to my door to steal a garbage can, would they? (and FWIW, it is NOT trach day!) :eek:

Or maybe one of those yard waste bags?

Or what other "hide in plain sight" methods might I use?

Then again, I don't want to put something really weird on the porch that would draw undue attention.


And is my assumption that there's basically a thin cardboard sleeve wrapped around the normal display box accurate, so we're talking about a very small package?
Click to expand...
It'll be in a cardboard box. As far as hiding it goes, Would all depend how far it is from passerbys. My door is about 30 feet from sidewalk so someone would have to come all the way to my door to see it.
 
Just leave a key on the porch and tell him to go inside your home and place it on the counter.

NEVER TRUST PEOPLE
 
there is a form you have to fill out if you want ups to leave it. apple sends everything sig required so if you ordered from apple go to where you track the order on their site and print out the signature form. otherwise you don't have to worry about someone stealing it because ups won't leave it.
 
Check the blog post about Verizon customer getting his. The box is way bigger than just the iphone box.
 
Depends on your neighborhood.

I have Amazon stuff shipped to my house all the time - nobody ever touches it.


But if you live in a not-so-great neighborhood, or you're front door is close to the street/sidewalk, you might just want to just let the UPS guy take it back to the hub and pick it up yourself later that day or whenever.

If you do the Apple Pre-Sign note, you can tell the driver to put it wherever you want. If you're worried about it being out front, tell them to leave it at your back door or some place out of view.



Also - it doesn't ship in the actual iPhone 4S box - it's just a big, brown, unmarked cardboard box - the iPhone box is INSIDE the bigger cardboard box.
 
andyx3x said:
Before I help you, I would first need your address.
Click to expand...

lilj4425 said:
Tell me where you live and i'll take care of it for you. ;) I'll hide it so well you won't even be able to find it.
Click to expand...


Awesome! That's why I love this board...people helping people! Here's my address:
1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino, CA 95014

syedhussain said:
Just leave a key on the porch and tell him to go inside your home and place it on the counter.

NEVER TRUST PEOPLE
Click to expand...

Perfect idea, thanks! Concerned that he/she might not see the key, so I think I'll get some posterboard and make a big sign to put on the garage to tell him about the key on the porch...you think that would help? ;)
 
Netherscourge said:
Depends on your neighborhood.

I have Amazon stuff shipped to my house all the time - nobody ever touches it.


But if you live in a not-so-great neighborhood, or you're front door is close to the street/sidewalk, you might just want to just let the UPS guy take it back to the hub and pick it up yourself later that day or whenever.


Also - it doesn't ship in the actual iPhone 4S box - it's just a big, brown, unmarked cardboard box - the iPhone box is INSIDE the bigger cardboard box.
Click to expand...

Neighborhood is good, but I did have an Amazon shipment disappear once, but magically reappear two days later...after I asked the neighbors if their 12 year old boy or his buddy had seen the driver leave it that evening! :rolleyes: Fortunately school won't be out before I get home (on the chance the UPS driver beats me here) so I SHOULD be safe.

So the shipping container is probably about the size of a shoebox, but thinner?
 
If you live in the hood.. then I wouldn't leave anything on the front porch.. But if you live where I live.. You can leave the door open all day long and nobody will walk in.
 
In my area UPS stays open till 8pm. I'd pick it up there.

If it's left at your place & stolen you're screwed. There is no recourse.

Worse is the fact that even if money is no object, getting a replacement will most likely take months.

Or waiting in line for about six hours or more (thats the national avg) at an Apple store.
 
vitzr said:
In my area UPS stays open till 8pm. I'd pick it up there.
Click to expand...
Not a bad idea...I can have it held, but the hub closes at 4:30 and regardless, they said it would not be available for pickup at the hub until the next business day, which means waiting 'til Monday...and I can't wait that long! :eek:

I'm 99.998% sure it'll be fine, so I'll just take my chances.:eek:
 
blackjackmark said:
I'm leaving a note for the UPS driver to leave the iPhone. I'm assuming it's shipped in a box just ever so slightly bigger than its shrinkwrapped display box. It would likely go unnoticed on my recessed front porch. But, there's always a chance that someone could grab it before I get home to claim it.

I've been thinking about putting an empty (clean!) outdoor recycling trash can on my porch and asking the driver to place it inside...thinking that no one would come to my door to steal a garbage can, would they? (and FWIW, it is NOT trach day!) :eek:

Or maybe one of those yard waste bags?

Or what other "hide in plain sight" methods might I use?

Then again, I don't want to put something really weird on the porch that would draw undue attention.


And is my assumption that there's basically a thin cardboard sleeve wrapped around the normal display box accurate, so we're talking about a very small package?
Click to expand...

How about this: Get a container that could be locked with a padlock. Leave that container with the unlocked padlock. Leave a note asking UPS to put the package in the container and lock the padlock.

When you get home, unlock the lock and retrieve your phone.
 
rudolf said:
How about this: Get a container that could be locked with a padlock. Leave that container with the unlocked padlock. Leave a note asking UPS to put the package in the container and lock the padlock.

When you get home, unlock the lock and retrieve your phone.
Click to expand...

Very good idea! Actually a buddy lives in a bad neighborhood and was debating on how to prevent stuff from disappearing. He thought of something similar (though your padlock idea is great!) but I said "well, they'll just take the whole box". He thought for a moment and decided he'd anchor it from the inside to his porch!
 
If you didn't order from apple.com and get the presign form then they will not leave it without a signature. I'm about 99.98% sure of that.
 
Lol this is definitely going to end in tears. Do you have a back Garden that is accessible to the drive? Obviously a more well hidden place than your front porch would be advisable haha! :D
 
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