Tips to Deter Porch Pirates and Keep Your Packages SafeDecember 7, 2022
While the holiday season should be a time of giving, so-called “porch pirates” – or thieves who stalk neighborhoods looking for newly delivered packages to steal – can wreak havoc on your gift-giving plans. Keeping your packages safe may seem like a challenge, but the tips below will help you deter porch pirates and ensure that your gifts end up in the right hands.
Use a Delivery Lock Box
Because porch thefts have increased year-over-year for several years in a row, numerous companies have worked tirelessly to create products that can serve as deterrents. A delivery lock box is a simple, yet effective option that can work for a wide range of deliveries. They can be costly with prices starting at around $150, and many homeowners find that many are too small to hold large or multiple items. Nevertheless, a delivery lock box may be an excellent choice for many homeowners.
Install Security Cameras
Security cameras can do much more than simply show you a recording of a theft after it has already happened. When a camera is strategically placed in full view, and when it is accompanied by several other cameras that provide the same view from a different angle, it can be one of the most powerful deterrents of them all. Thieves want to avoid any and all chances of getting caught, so if your home is fitted with a security camera, they’ll likely skip right over it.
Use Bright Lighting
While most porch pirating occurs during the daylight hours while people are gone to work or school, a substantial number occur at night. This is especially true for individuals who may be gone overnight on the day of a delivery or even away on vacation, as well as for those whose packages aren’t delivered until late in the afternoon or early in the evening. One of the best deterrents in this case is flood lighting. The brighter the lighting, the less likely thieves will want to step foot on your property. Many homeowners find that a combination of traditional and motion-sensing lights provide the best results.
Ask a Trusted Friend for Help
If you’re fortunate enough to have trustworthy neighbors, you can always ask them to retrieve the packages from your porch right after they are delivered. You might also ask a trusted friend to stop by your house and retrieve packages, especially if you will be out of town for the night or for the weekend. It’s one thing for a package to wait on your porch for an hour or two until you get home, but it’s something else entirely to leave a package out overnight while you are traveling.
Redirect to a Post Office Box
Finally, if you want to take the best possible measures against porch theft, you might choose to utilize a post office (PO) box. This is a paid service that will require you to drive to the post office and retrieve your packages, and if the package is too large to fit inside the PO box itself, you’ll only be able to retrieve it during post office hours. Nevertheless, many people find that keeping their packages safe from thieves is worth the extra time and energy. PO boxes come in a variety of sizes, but you can have packages delivered to any size box. When you open the PO box, you’ll find a slip inside to take to the counter to receive your package.
It’s the season for giving, but it’s also the season to protect your home, property, and packages from notorious porch pirates. From installing a security camera and good lighting to having all of your packages delivered to a PO box, there are plenty of ways to protect yourself and make sure the gifts you buy make it into the right hands.