Run-In with the Law: What Happened?

[Squall]

Ok today i had an officer deliver a package to my house. He also preceded by asking one of the my fellow residents what the package contents were and why it was ordered. Apparently UPS delivered the package to the wrong address and that person opened the package and didn't know what the bottles inside were and called the cops. And by the way there wasn't anything illegal in the box just some red gum and pvc. The resident told the officer that the package contained chemicals for chemistry, because they had no idea what was in the package , although the bottles were neatly labeled and even had the uses printed on the label. I was just asking if i should be worried about being put on a watch list or something this whole situation seems unnecessary to me. I would just like some thought and opinions on this matter. Thank You

 

[jmnew51]

Chances are if the bottles were clearly labeled as to their intended uses and they weren't any kind of precurser chemicals or controlled substances, than they probably won't waste resources pursuing the matter any further.

Just beware that with the advent of the "patriot act" anyone can be put on a watch list if suspicions are raised. Probable cause is excersized at their discretion.

But if you're not doing anything wrong, let them watch! It's a little unnerving, but that's the price you pay sometimes for knowledge.

I have ordered things online from time to time, because of the work I do, which is all above board, so I have nothing to worry about.

Best advice...if you're not doing anything illegal, don't worry about it.

Just my $.02 on the matter. Hope this eases your tension.

Jim

 

[Gokul43201]

What exactly was this "red gum"?

 

[JGM_14]

Red Gum is used as a binder. It is alcohol soluble.

 

[EnumaElish]

How about PVC and red gum? Why do you need them in combination?

 

[tacosareveryyum]

Cause he is developing chemical weapons! Am I the only one who can see that??!

 

[mgb_phys]

Of course if this was the UK then after it had been proven that it was impossible to make a bomb from these materials here would be a knee-jerk reaction and you would be banned from taking more 2 stick of gum on a plane.

 

[Gokul43201]

How about PVC and red gum? Why do you need them in combination?

The obvious guess is to launch fireworks/propel projectiles - clearly good enough reason for a neighbor to be worried.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Isn't it illegal to open someone else's mail? I wonder what the proper legal procedure is for mail delivered to your residence by accident.

 

[Moonbear]

Isn't it illegal to open someone else's mail? I wonder what the proper legal procedure is for mail delivered to your residence by accident.

It wasn't through the postal service, but from UPS, so it's at least not a Federal crime, but I was wondering about that too. Who just accepts a random package without looking at the address before proceeding to open it? Seems the tables could have been turned and a police report filed (along with a complaint to UPS) that your package was accepted and opened by someone who didn't belong touching it...and of course the Rolex watch you ordered with that other stuff was missing.

 

[devil-fire]

the items themselves sound harmless, but there are other factors in the watch list thing. have you, your friend or any of your friends' friends been to the middle east in the last 10 years? have you visited chat rooms with a violent, anti-american tone? if you are muslim, are the leaders of your local mosque radical? if you have answered yes to any of these questions, you can expect a cavity search any time you go through customs. if you answered yes to all of these questions, be sure not to joke about any terrorist actions on the phone or it may be considered evidence of terrorist intentions by the FBI. and for god sake if you are brought in for questioning, don't even think about joking about a confession or you could be looking at 20 years in prison.

i joke but you know, lodi was a real mockery of justice

 

[EnumaElish]

A professional journal delivered to my office via USPS today had a clear, odorless, sticky substance on its cover. (It was mailed without an envelope.)

 

[mgb_phys]

In the middle of the last Anthrax scare a UK mobile phone company mailed hard sugar candies to lots of people as part of an ad campaign. Given the nature of mail, these all arrived as crushed white powder in the bottom of envelopes!

A few years ealier Sun mailed people old fashioned 'bells on top' type alarm clocks with wires coming out of them as part of a 'wake up to solaris' campaign, as most of their customers were city institutions or military/government labs that caused a few panics!

 

[zoobyshoe]

It wasn't through the postal service, but from UPS, so it's at least not a Federal crime, but I was wondering about that too. Who just accepts a random package without looking at the address before proceeding to open it? Seems the tables could have been turned and a police report filed (along with a complaint to UPS) that your package was accepted and opened by someone who didn't belong touching it...and of course the Rolex watch you ordered with that other stuff was missing.

I can't envision someone accepting a package they knew wasn't addressed to them unless they were hoping for a rolex or the like. I think the person who accepted this package has committed some sort of crime against UPS by falsely claiming the person to whom it was actually addressed lived there. Isn't this why UPS gets the signature of the person who accepts the package? I think squall has some grounds for making trouble for these people.

 

[Squall]

yeah i always thought opening mail that doesn't belong to you is illegal but the police officer's explanation was that the person who received the package wasn't wearing his glasses so he did not see the address. which i think is a load of bs. But i am not to worried about it since the package was labeled and even if they put me on a watch list i have nothing to hide. I just wish i could somehow complain to UPS and get them to deliver to the right address, because they have delivered other packages to the wrong house in the past.

 

[Evo]

yeah i always thought opening mail that doesn't belong to you is illegal but the police officer's explanation was that the person who received the package wasn't wearing his glasses so he did not see the address. which i think is a load of bs. But i am not to worried about it since the package was labeled and even if they put me on a watch list i have nothing to hide. I just wish i could somehow complain to UPS and get them to deliver to the right address, because they have delivered other packages to the wrong house in the past.

They weren't expecting a package and agreed to take it and then proceed to open it without putting on their glasses (assuming they were that blind) that's total BS. They were hoping it was something of value.

 

[jmnew51]

I agree, not having your specs on is not a good enough reason to disregard the law.

If I were you squall, I would reciprocate in this matter.

Jim

 

[edward]

Red Gum is used as a binder. It is alcohol soluble.

Red gum is used in making fireworks, you are definitely on a watch list. If you have packages delivered from chemical companies UPS is required to notify authorities.

It may not have been a neighbor who opened your package.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Red gum is used in making fireworks, you are definitely on a watch list. If you have packages delivered from chemical companies UPS is required to notify authorities.

It may not have been a neighbor who opened your package.

Why wouldn't the cops just say "We're required to do this, blah blah blah." Why the charade?

 

[chemisttree]

Hmmmm. Red gum - pyrotechnic binder. PVC - pyrotechnic binder and flame color enhancer. You are definitely being watched. I think that since the officer hand delivered the package to you the visit was to clue you into the fact that things you buy through the mail can easily be intercepted and inspected. The story was no doubt a cover to reinforce to you how easily the authorities can intercept and inspect your UPS shipment. I believe it is also probable that he wanted to judge your reaction to the whole affair in-person. Did you blanch and stammer some incoherent babble when the officer met you? He's reading your body language and trying to get a glimpse inside your room to see if you fit some profile no doubt. Not a good time to answer the door wearing your 'Che' shirt! It's not illegal to order these things and receive them in the mail so there is little likelihood that anything further will happen. But be assured that if anything illegal or requiring a license is addressed to you, it will be intercepted and charges/fines will be on the menu.

 

[mgb_phys]

Not a good time to answer the door wearing your 'Che' shirt!

Would opening the door in your PVC dress and Red Gum lipstick reassure him do you think?

 

[chemisttree]

Would opening the door in your PVC dress and Red Gum lipstick reassure him do you think?

Thats not my PVC dress and Red Gum lipstick! I'm just holding them for someone...

 

[Moonbear]

I just wish i could somehow complain to UPS and get them to deliver to the right address, because they have delivered other packages to the wrong house in the past.

At the very least, you ought to be able to complain to the company you made your purchase from and insist they reimburse the shipping charges since it was sent to the wrong address and arrived opened. They need to know if UPS is delivering to the wrong place too, and can then make the claim against UPS. If you have a totally legitimate purpose for receiving this delivery, you have nothing to worry about by making a fuss over it (especially knowing that some might use the items you were receiving for illegitimate purposes, so you don't want these deliveries winding up in the wrong hands).

 

[jmnew51]

Hmmmm. Red gum - pyrotechnic binder. PVC - pyrotechnic binder and flame color enhancer. You are definitely being watched. I think that since the officer hand delivered the package to you the visit was to clue you into the fact that things you buy through the mail can easily be intercepted and inspected. The story was no doubt a cover to reinforce to you how easily the authorities can intercept and inspect your UPS shipment. I believe it is also probable that he wanted to judge your reaction to the whole affair in-person.

You're joking right?

If the authorities wanted to "watch" you for illegal activities the last thing the would want to do is raise your awareness that they are doing so.

With all the chem I order on the net (for work related usage). They probably have high powered lenses peeking in my window right now, my house bugged, phone tapped and a GPS traking device attached to my vehicle.


Jim

 

[Evo]

At the very least, you ought to be able to complain to the company you made your purchase from and insist they reimburse the shipping charges since it was sent to the wrong address and arrived opened. They need to know if UPS is delivering to the wrong place too, and can then make the claim against UPS.

It doesn't work that way. First, the company that shipped the products did nothing wrong and asking them to refund a shipping cost that they incurred but was mis-delivered by the shipping company would be wrong. UPS is unlikely to reimburse the shipping charges either since their policy is that if they deliver to the wrong address, they will go to that address and pick up the parcel and deliver it to the correct address.

Where I work we ship out tons of electronic equipment daily. Once in a while a package will be delivered to a wrong address. Our policy is that we will re-ship new equipment to the buyer again and waive the shipping charges on the second shipment.

 

[Moonbear]

It doesn't work that way. First, the company that shipped the products did nothing wrong and asking them to refund a shipping cost that they incurred but was mis-delivered by the shipping company would be wrong. UPS is unlikely to reimburse the shipping charges either since their policy is that if they deliver to the wrong address, they will go to that address and pick up the parcel and deliver it to the correct address.

But they didn't pick it up and deliver it to the correct address. They're supposed to verify who they're handing it to...that's what a signature is for. At the very least, UPS needs to hear about it so they reprimand the driver who isn't being careful where they deliver packages.

But, the company shipping it IS the one who needs to get reimbursed by UPS for the misdelivery. They are responsible for the carrier they chose, and if the carrier is unreliable, yes, they should refund the shipping charges, and can then deal with UPS for their own reimbursement. You can't get it directly from UPS, because you weren't the one who paid them, the company did. Technically, they NEVER delivered that package to the right address...the cops did. That means UPS didn't deliver according to the contract.

If I was in charge of shipping for a chemical company, and learned that UPS was delivering to incorrect addresses, and they were unwilling to reimburse shipping on those items, then I'd be using a different carrier.

 

[chemisttree]

You're joking right?

I never joke about PVC dresses and red gum lipstick...