Dear Ms. Demeanor: My neighbor is stealing my packages

By Jamie Lauren Sutton | April 18, 2012 - 10:55AM

Dear Ms. Demeanor,

I have written to you before about my neighbor who has ridiculously loud and poorly-timed sex. But my latest issue with her tops even that.

I live in a mid-sized building with no doorman in Yorkville; if I am not home to receive packages, they are usually left inside the vestibule by the delivery service (this area is accessible only to building residents).

Over the last few months, I have had three packages go 'missing' - 2 from Amazon and 1 from a clothing store. This last package included a number of summer dresses and the tracking information said it had been delivered successfully.

When I came in to my building the other day, I saw 'the noisy one' checking her mail wearing one of the dresses I had ordered WITH THE TAGS STILL ON. She is petite and it is a maxi dress so it was dragging on the floor.

It didn't really dawn on me until minutes later when I was inside my apartment but I am certain that she is stealing my packages. What on earth do I do?

Signed,

Maxi Mad

Dear Maxi Mad,

It certainly sounds very suspicious and extremely upsetting. Even if you had not seen your neighbor in an ill-fitting dress that just happens to be the exact dress you did not receive, the board and/or building management company must be made aware of these missing packages.

If the vestibule/lobby is monitored remotely, there may be security tapes to review. I would have all future packages directed to either a trusted neighbor who is home during the day, the super if he agrees to it, or to a local business (our very kind dry cleaner accepted packages for us when we lived in a non-doorman building).

You could also knock on a few doors and ask your neighbors, including the noisy one, if they have had similar problems or have seen your packages. At the very least this alerts others to the possibility of a thief among you and alerts 'the noisy one' that you are taking action. Please keep us posted!

Signed,

Ms. Demeanor

Ms. Demeanor is channeled by a longtime Manhattan vertical dweller and real-estate voyeur who writes under the pen name Jamie Lauren Sutton. She is here to commiserate, calm and correct. Please email your quandaries to [email protected] and put "Dear Ms. Demeanor" in the subject line.

See all of Ms. Demeanor's advice here.

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