In an ideal world, everyone would play nice and we wouldn’t have to worry about such things as Christmas gifts being stolen. However, since we do have the problem, we can at least take some action to minimize the impact that these thieves have during the holiday season. With online shopping at its highest, we can expect more stories of package theft. If we all put in some additional safeguards, we may be able to slow the progress the thieves are making. To protect yourself this season, we have some tips that you can employ that will help to safeguard your packages. At a minimum, you may be able to help the police in tracking down the guilty porch pirate. Here at Parade.com, we’re all about sharing products we love with our audience. When you make a purchase on an item seen on this page, we may earn a commission, however, all picks are independently chosen unless otherwise mentioned.
6 Tips To Prevent Porch Pirates from Stealing Your Packages
1. Install a security camera on your porch and around the exterior of your home.
This will at least allow you to see what the person looks like and you can then give a description to the police. The best-case scenario would be if you were home at the time and could catch the thief in action because of the camera. Another potential reason to install a security camera is that a thief will think twice if they see a camera installed.
2. Have your packages delivered somewhere else if you know you won’t be home.
A friend, family member or neighbor may be home and able to grab the packages as soon as they are delivered. You may also be able to have packages delivered to your workplace instead. The key is to eliminate time setting out on your porch.
3. Enable tracking of the delivery.
When you can track the delivery of your packages, you can better time when you need to be home or have someone stop over to get your packages when they arrive. Most of the time you can get a pretty good indication of the estimated time of delivery.
4. Purchase a delivery lockbox for outside your door.
Depending on how often you get package deliveries, it could be well worth your money to purchase a delivery lockbox. A large box with a lock is one of the best deterrents to porch pirate theft.
5. Require a signature at delivery.
Both UPS and FedEx have a signature required option that you can select for a small fee. The only drawback is if you aren’t home when the package is attempted to be delivered, they will try a different day which means your package will be delayed.
6. Pick up your package from a delivery location instead.
Instead of having your package delivered to your home, choose a FedEx or UPS secure location instead. Once the package is delivered there, you can pick it up at your convenience knowing that it is safe inside.
How Big of a Problem Are Porch Pirates?
You may be thinking that it’s good to know about this problem, but how likely will it really happen in your neighborhood? Sadly, some of the safest-looking neighborhoods are what attract porch pirates. If you look at the projected thefts, you may have more cause for concern. According to The Guardian, the federal government doesn’t have a good tracking system for the statistics of porch theft. However, they reported that according to a 2021 survey of 1,000 Americans conducted by SafeWise, a company that reviews safety products and conducts research on home security systems, 64% of respondents said they experienced package theft in the previous 12 months. So, based on those survey results, SafeWise estimated that 210 million packages were stolen across the country in 2021. That’s a lot of packages! Next Up: ‘I Will Fear No Evil’ —20 Prayers for Protection During Life’s Difficult Circumstances
