GREENSBORO, N.C. — Greensboro police are sending a warning to the public to be on the lookout for porch pirates - people stealing packages from unsuspecting homeowners.
Thieves are swiping deliveries from front porches and mailboxes before the packages reach the rightful owners.
Package theft has been a growing problem in the U.S. for years, especially over the holiday season.
According to a 2017 study from insuranceQuotes, 25.9 million Americans have had a holiday package stolen from their front porch or doorstep - up from 23.5 million porch thefts reported in 2015.
"During the holidays, certain crimes and home hazards increase. Homeowners need to take precautions and make sure they have the right insurance to protect their finances," said Laura Adams, senior insurance analyst at insuranceQuotes. "You could have packages delivered to your office or a local locker—or use motion detectors, security systems and light timers to fend off thieves."
The BBB offers the following tips to outsmart porch pirates over the holiday season:
- Don't leave delivered packages unattended. You wouldn't leave $500 sitting outside your house overnight so don't leave your packages unattended for long periods of time. Pay attention to online tracking; if the company says it was delivered but it's not at your house report it.
- For extra security, use motion-detecting lights and camera systems to fend off would-be thieves.
- Leaving town? Have your mail held at the post office. Once you return you can pick everything up or request it be delivered to your home.
- Customize the delivery. If you know the package is going to be larger than the mailbox, authorize the carrier to leave it in a specified out-of-sight location. You can also request pick-up at their facility.
- Secure the shipment. Signature confirmations ensure that the package ends up in the right hards. Register your most valuable packages so special care and documentation is used every step of the way.
- Ship your packages to where you are, not where you aren't. Spend all day at work? Talk to your boss about having packages delivered to your workplace instead of your home address.
- Keep an eye out for suspicious activity in your neighborhood. Some thieves follow delivery trucks waiting for the opportune time to steal packages. If you notice something out of place in your neighborhood, report it to the proper authorities with specific details.
- You can also plan with neighbors to move any packages inside their home for safekeeping until you arrive home at night.
If you or someone you know has been affected by stolen packages, report it to BBB Scam Tracker to help warn others.