Porch pirates are modern day Grinches. Thieves have gotten bold, looking for opportunities to grab packages off porches in the middle of the day. Walking up to doors with packages of their own in their hands to look like drivers, then taking off with items in broad daylight. It’s a dilemma for many homeowners. Particularly when we are all trying to do our part by utilizing delivery as much as we can, but how can we guarantee that our shipments will make it safely into our homes and not in the hands of holiday bandits?
Sitting outside in a lawn chair isn’t feasible since most of us we are working and simultaneously teaching children at home. How many times do we find ourselves checking the front step to make sure we haven’t missed it, or calling a neighbor to check while we are out? Many retailers, like Amazon, and shipping companies like UPS, do a good job of alerting the purchaser of days and time windows so there is some awareness, even following up with an instant email or text confirming the package is waiting on the front porch. But for thieves who have gotten so crafty that they practically stalk the Amazon truck, how can you be sure your packages are safe?
Luckily, there are a number of things you can do to protect yourself from being victimized this holiday season.
- Notifications: First and foremost, make sure you take full advantage of all shipping notifications. Often, these alerts can come to your email or phone and keep you aware of when and where your package is in transit. This can be a little overwhelming around Christmas, but at least you can follow from day-to-day when something may be arriving at your house. Many places alert you within minutes of your package arriving at your door.
- Always Appear to Be Home: From leaving lights on to parking a car in the driveway, there are ways to stage your home consistently to appear like you are home. While this is a most effective effort when deterring thieves who might want to break into your homes, porch pirates are no different in that they certainly don’t want to get caught so it’s important to look as unattractive a stop for them as possible.
- Cameras: Having cameras installed on your porch is a great way to monitor the happenings at your home. Motion sensors can kick cameras into gear and subsequently send you a notification that someone is on your porch. A doorbell system is also great and in many cases their speaker systems will allow you to communicate directly with whoever may be lingering on your stoop.
- Secure Delivery: While some people have opted to purchase a lock box for their porch to safely store packages immediately, giving the delivery driver alone access, this may not be feasible for everyone. A newer way to have a 100% safe delivery is to utilize your camera security and speaker system in conjunction with your keyless entry to have packages left inside of your house. Companies like alarm.com can notify you when someone rings the doorbell. Once you’ve verified the driver is there with your package, you can allow them to open the door and leave the package inside; locking it from your phone once the door is safely shut.
At American Alarm, we are always available to help make your loved ones and valuables safer. Save yourself the heartache of becoming a victim of theft over the holidays by utilizing these tips when having packages delivered and reach out to us if you need help upgrading your security to better deter porch pirates. We hope you have a safe and wonderful holiday season…oh, and don’t forget to thank your hard working delivery drivers!