Tips to stop porch pirates from making off with your loot

Online shopping makes holiday gift buying convenient especially with delivery to your front door. This front door service is also convenient for thieves commonly referred to as “porch pirates.”

Last holiday season, the Sioux City Police Department saw an increase of packages stolen from porches and expects the trend to continue.

With that in mind, here are some tips to reduce the chances of a porch pirate making off with your online order.

Pay attention to tracking information and if possible, be home or have someone you trust pick up your package after it is delivered.

Have your orders sent to your place of employment if they will allow it or have the delivery company hold on to it for you.

Choose the ‘sign for release’ option of delivery. That way, the delivery service has to hand your delivery to a person.

If you are a victim of a theft, report it to law enforcement. If you have surveillance cameras, share that footage with law enforcement also. Check with your neighbors to see if they have surveillance cameras and if they would have any footage around the time of theft.

Keep your porch well lit. It is getting dark earlier and it may be dark before you get home. A well-lit porch may help your neighbor keep an eye out for thieves.

One of the biggest things to emphasis is be a good neighbor and watch out for each other. Keep an eye out for suspicious activity such as cars following delivery trucks or casing neighborhoods. If you see people taking packages or any suspicious activity, report it to police.