I used to be at house working in my workplace upstairs when what can solely be described as a loud clonk in my yard startled me and my terrier, Freddie. I guessed it was an enthusiastically dropped bundle, however I could not have imagined the total scope of the incident that originated the noise.
I made my approach downstairs to research, and located my double chain hyperlink gate had been kicked in by an Amazon supply individual, who was seemingly unable to determine the objectively easy flip-up lock. The brute drive entry busted the gate’s picket body, rendering it unusable and necessitating a restore that may require carpentry that’s above my ability degree.
How I discovered my gate after an Amazon driver busted their approach by it.
Two damning items of proof — my Amazon packages — have been dropped few yards contained in the gate.
To make issues worse, the driving force left each gates huge open, leaving my yard inclined to canine escape.
Naturally, I reported the incident by the retailer’s on-line indicent portal and contacted Amazon customer support by cellphone. A well mannered girl instructed me to file a declare. I did so inside a day, together with the restore value estimate of $500 that I had secured from an area handyman, the Amazon bundle supply timestamp and a number of other photographs of the busted gate, additionally timestamped moments after the packages have been delivered.
Extremely, the supply driver did not even hassle to shut the gate that they had simply then damaged down.
I used to be instructed a call can be rendered inside a few days. Every week and one follow-up e mail later, Amazon replied and knowledgeable me that with out visible proof of the incident, they would not be reimbursing me for the injury.
With no video proof of the Amazon driver busting my gate to ship a bundle, I used to be by myself to have the damaged body fastened.
After a wholesome bout of cursing this resolution from the two.37 trillion-dollar-company, I made a decision I would outfit each entry level of my yard and residential with a safety digicam with video storage so I may pull footage if one thing like this occurred once more — although my canceled account ensures that it will not be by the hands of Amazon.
For me, this was a no brainer. Safety cameras can cost as little as $45 for the bottom unit and $5 or much less per thirty days for storage. Past security for your self, household, pets and packages, these inexpensive sensible house gadgets might save me a headache in any variety of eventualities from overzealous supply employees with gate latch ineptitude to falling timber planted in a neighbor’s yard.
I grew up in a no-lock house, and to today do not worry violent breaking and coming into, naive as that may be. However the expertise of a possible underpaid and overworked supply individual inflicting (most likely) unintentional, however vital, injury to my lower than one-year previous house was purpose sufficient to cowl my bases. I’ve since ordered a video digicam to level on the facet gate entry, along with the Roku video doorbell that is securely fixed to the entrance door (which was of no use on this state of affairs).
So the place to seek out the very best house safety at a worth I may abdomen? Our house safety knowledgeable Tyler Lacoma has examined all the highest video doorbells and residential safety cameras accessible in 2025. He recommends the versatile Arlo Pro 5S as the very best total, so I promptly ordered it.
Greatest Purchase dropped it gently on my steps a number of days later.