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Comment by adamredwoods | Hacker News Reader

I wonder how well a simple package bin with lid would work, for a home? It would have to be large enough to take in a couple packages. No lock, either, for ease of delivery.

This way porch thefts must take the action of looking into something, and possibly be disappointed, if empty. I'm curious if that specific action would change the thieves' mental process, along the lines of "out of sight, out of mind".

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The problem there is getting delivery drivers to actually use the bin. I've seen a number of people who've tried this approach only for packages to be dropped on top of or around the bin.

When I still lived in an apartment complex it was a struggle to get drivers to use the package lockers in the mailroom. Fairly often you'd go down there to find a big pile of packages that you'd have to rummage through, which drove me nuts because I hate messing with others peoples' mail.

> It would have to be large enough to take in a couple packages.

Also heavy enough to not blow away in the wind, but light enough for inexpensive delivery. Perhaps with IKEA-like assembly, and a compartment in the bottom for gravel or dirt.

JOBOX is the answer then. Probably not going to fit the aesthetic of the compulsive online shopper’s home however.

Something like these drop boxes seem like the best option - https://www.smartparcelbox.co.uk

This seems like overkill. I bet even a simple wooden box would do, simply because thieves wouldn't see whether there IS a package. They wouldn't go from house to house rummaging through the boxes I bet.

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