How to Stop (or at Least Slow Down) Porch Pirates

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Most people who have ever purchased anything from an online or meal kit store have probably experienced, or at least feared, package theft. Even if you keep track of your packages very carefully and have never had a package stolen from your front porch or porch, you probably feel anxious about receiving delivery confirmation when you know you won’t be home anytime soon. for a while, leaving your valuable package in plain view of the so-called porch pirates.

Because it is a relatively low-risk, low-effort crime, package theft is quite common. A 2022 study concluded that 14% of us have had a package stolen at least once, with an average value of about $112, and that’s no reason to worry. As more and more shopping is done online and more people return to offices for in-person work, this problem isn’t going away any time soon.

And while it’s pretty clear what to do after your package has gone missing , if you’d rather avoid the hassle, you’ll also need to find a way to stop—or at least slow down—the merry porch pirates’ rampage. in your area. Here’s how to do it.

Change drop off location

The easiest and most effective way to keep your loot safe from porch pirates is to take it somewhere other than your empty, unsecured home. If you get a lot of packages delivered and you’re rarely home to receive them, consider creating a permanent alternative to your front door and starting using that as your default delivery address.

Here you have several options:

  • Alternative address. Deliver packages somewhere other than your home. This could be a neighbor or immediate family member who is at home receiving packages, or even your job if you can easily deliver packages to your home after work. Some retailers, including Amazon, also offer alternative pickup locations through programs like Amazon Locker, so it may be worth taking the time to see if you can route your delivery to one of them instead.

  • Parcel collection service. Depending on where you live, you may be able to sign up for a package pickup service like GoLocker . These services accept your packages for you and store them until you can pick them up, or even deliver them to you at a specified time later.

  • Allow home delivery. Many online retailers have launched programs that allow you to give their couriers access to your garage if you have one. For example, Amazon Key and Walmart’s InHome programs work similarly: you install a smart garage management system (at your own expense) and give the seller access. Their couriers can open your garage, leave your items, and then close everything. (Obviously, you’ll have to live with giving random people access to part of your home.)

Products to pay attention to:

One way to fend off porch pirates? Visible deterrents such as ring cameras that will catch them red-handed.

Use all available tracking options

When you order something online, you usually have many options for tracking your package. Almost any delivery service will offer at least a basic delivery notification that’s triggered when your package is unloaded, but many services allow you to track your package closer to real time, showing the truck on a map as it moves through your area. By signing up for all available tracking options – such as email and text messages – and keeping the app or website running on your phone or computer, you will have a very good idea of ​​when your package should be delivered and you can make the necessary arrangements measures. someone is there to get it.

Something else you can do when ordering is to add specific instructions for your courier. This could include mentioning a specific hiding place for your packages or providing a slightly unexpected delivery location, such as a side door. You can’t guarantee that your instructions will be followed, but it can’t hurt to try.

Enlist the help of your neighbors

We live in a society and sometimes people just have to be brothers to each other. Are there people in your area who work from home or are just around all day? They may want to receive packages on your behalf. Even if you don’t feel comfortable doing it, if you set up a block on a mailing list or an app like NextDoor , everyone can contribute and pick up packages if they see them sitting in front of your house. My wife and I have become more or less unofficial package managers in our neighborhood because we’ve been working remotely for years and our neighbors know we’re happy to run across the street and pick up a package at almost any time. In other words, sometimes all you need is one or two friends.

Install CCTV cameras

Finally, and most obviously to many, you can fool your porch security system to discourage or prevent package theft as much as possible. While a determined (and/or desperate) porch pirate might ignore or even bypass some of these measures, they are certainly worth taking if you know you are a potential target. These include:

  • Home security systems. Whether it’s a SimpliSafe , ADT or similar system, you can wire your home so that it not only sets off the alarm when people disturb your porch, but also sends you text messages or email alerts when this happens. Some systems will also allow you to tap into a video stream and even talk to anyone on your porch, which may scare them away. Doorbells and similar products can offer a similar ability to be alerted when someone is at your front door, and even see and talk to them.

  • Motion activated light. If you have to leave packages overnight or the sun sets early where you live, having a floodlight that turns on when people approach can discourage a wide range of questionable behavior.

  • Protective bags and boxes. There are a variety of protective bags and boxes you can purchase, such as this Pirate Porch Bag . They all work essentially the same way: they attach to your home in some way (using bolts or thick wire), the courier places the packages inside, and then locks them. While a very determined thief could hack them, it requires a lot more work (as well as a lot more noise and hassle) than most people would be willing to risk.

This is the age of endless supply, so it’s time to up your game and make a plan to protect what you paid for. Your only option is to go back in time and start shopping in real stores only when you have time, which sounds terrible.

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