How to Prevent Pirates From Stealing Your Packages on Your Porch While You Are Out of Town
It was time for pies, eggnog, resisting the urge to “call out to your parents” and stealing the packaging. What a mixed bag. But stealing your packages is now a reliable part of the modern holiday season. November and December saw a spike in package theft , which is not surprising when you consider the rise in online shopping for holiday gifts.
Last year, the average person had about two of the 76 or so packets stolen from them, according to a survey conducted by home security company Cove . About 7.2% of respondents said they were stolen in September and October, up from 37% in December.
You may already be on vacation and don’t have time to invest and install security cameras or smart doorbell . There is always a buggy package that appears after you leave town because it is delayed, you forgot you pre-ordered, or heck, maybe someone sent you a surprise in the mail! Surprises are great, but it’s best when you meet them at home.
Here are some steps you can take to reduce the chances of your packages being removed while you are away.
Track your parcels
About one-third of missing packages are not due to porch pirates, but packages are lost along the way, according to a survey conducted by review platform Clutch . After placing your order online, make it a rule to check your package tracking information as the delivery date approaches. If your package gets stuck between the store and the door, you will understand which stage of the process was to blame.
If your package is marked delivered but you can’t see it, the porch pirate might be at fault. But this could be a mistake of the telecom operator. Check the DSN for any notes on where the package was dropped. Some shipping options include a photo of where the package was placed. This happened to me a few weeks ago: a picture of a delivered package showed a threshold unfamiliar to me, which caused the retailer to repeatedly send the package. It was still a hassle for me, but the seller and I both knew the exact point at which the delivery went wrong, instead of wondering where the package might have been lost.
Choose an alternative delivery location
Getting a package from a safe place is easier than ever, but if you’ve never tried it, the options may be confusing. Here are some of them that you can see when placing an order:
Amazon
Amazon lockers are available in 900 cities, from 7-Eleven stores to GNC, and even in the lobbies of some apartment buildings. Packages delivered to lockers are available for three business days before being returned to Amazon (and refunded). Need more time? Amazon also offers hub counters at Rite Aid locations that give you 14 days to pick up your package.
FedEx
FedEx packages can be picked up at FedEx offices, as well as Walgreens, Dollar General, Office Depot, Walmart, and Kroger, to name a few. You can choose to have your package shipped directly to one of these pick-up locations, or change delivery locations while the package is in transit. Forwarded packets can be stored for up to five days.
UPS
You can pick up your UPS-delivered package at UPS, CVS or Michael’s stores. If your package is already on its way to your home, you can redirect it to an access point. UPS is even offering a rewards program this holiday season. You can earn up to $ 15 Target Gift Card.
USPS
This requires little upfront planning and is available in fewer locations than UPS and FedEx. The United States Postal Service offers GoPost parcel lockers in some of its locations so you can pick up your parcels whenever you want. You need to register for a free account before sending the packages because you will need to provide a dedicated shipping address for your chosen GoPost location.
Keep mail
Many parcels arrive through the good old US Postal Service. If you’re traveling this holiday season, don’t come home to a mailbox full of junk mail indicating to the pirates on your porch that your home is ripe for takeover. Submit a mail hold request until you return from your trip. You will receive a bunch of mostly junk mail, along with your parcels intact.
Invite a friend or neighbor
If you know your neighbors well or you have friends who live nearby, asking them to look after your house is the easiest way to make sure that the packages that have already been dropped on your doorstep are protected from thieves.
If you don’t know your neighbors well enough to let them know ahead of time that you are going on vacation, it might be worth contacting them if you know there is a package waiting on your porch. Facebook Messenger or Nextdoor can help you connect with neighbors whose phone numbers you don’t know.
Just do not be lazy to leave a spare key, – advised the Master Lock security personnel. If thieves are tracking packages, they are probably looking for other opportunities to take advantage of your empty home. Under the rug? Too easy. In a plastic “stone?” Not secure enough. If you are not going to keep the key in the code box, you should not risk being found by a thief.