5 tips to protect against package theft

Online ordering should make life less stressful. After all, it’s easy, it’s fast, and you barely have to think about it. Who wouldn’t want to skip a time-consuming trip to the store?

But after you click that “buy” button, the worries start. There’s your package, sitting on your front doorstep, exposed to the world. Will it actually be there when you finally get home? Or will those shiny new electronics you ordered get snatched up by a thief, spurring an extensive, time-consuming goose chase to actually get the product you ordered?

With the increase in online purchasing and shopping, the number of packages being stolen has skyrocketed. In 2015, a study showed that 23 million Americans had packages stolen from their doorstep. By 2017, that number had risen to 26 million, and it shows no signs of slowing down. There’s even a new name for thieves that specifically snatch up ecommerce packages: “porch pirates.”

While this spike in theft is scary and unsettling, there are a number of ways to help protect your deliveries from porch pirates in your neighborhood.

1. Install a video doorbell

Installing a smart home video doorbell is a great way to monitor activity outside of your home, especially on the front steps. Most video doorbells have a motion sensor built into them, notifying you when there is any kind of activity in the line of site of the camera. Your video doorbell may also have recording capabilities, which would allow you to capture an image of the porch pirate that you could share with local authorities.

2. Use a more secure delivery method

There are alternatives that you can use for the delivery of a package if you’re concerned about theft from your front steps. One great option is to have your packages delivered to your office or place of employment (make sure to ask your employer first). You could also choose to have the package delivered to a post office box, a UPS store, or an Amazon locker, and pick it up there.

3. Use motion-activated lights

Motion-activated lights can be incredibly effective at scaring away thieves. By installing them in the front of your home, you can suddenly illuminate anyone who approaches your door, discouraging them from taking your stuff. Couple this with a video doorbell, and you’ve got a[…]

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Continue reading this Progressive Insurance article.

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