How To Stop ‘Porch Pirates’ From Stealing Your Packages

by: Lauren Kochanowski
December 26, 2018

Ordering things online is the height of convenience. Especially with services like Amazon Prime, you can order something and have it show up on your doorstep the very next day. However, there is one downside to ordering things online — and that’s the very real threat of porch pirates.

If you’ve never heard of a porch pirate before, it’s a thief who steals deliveries from people’s doorsteps. Because so many deliveries are made during the day when people are not home, porch pirates have a huge window of opportunity to steal packages left on homeowners’ front porches. This becomes a huge problem during the holiday season, when deliveries for Christmas presents are in full swing.

Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to prevent porch pirates from targeting your deliveries. It’s always best to have something delivered to a mail collection center if you know you won’t be home when the package arrives. Alternatively, you could ask a friend, family member, or trusted neighbor to wait at your home if you know the approximate delivery time of a package.

Another great solution is to get a lock box. If you know a package will be arriving that day, leave the lock box open, so that the delivery person can put the package inside and secure the lock when they go to leave. If you leave a note with these instructions, most delivery people will be happy to oblige. Just ensure that if you decide to get a lock box, it’s securely fastened to your porch, otherwise porch pirates will just steal the entire box.

Many large delivery services also have mobile apps that will inform you the very second a package is delivered. That way, you can quickly run home to put your package inside if you’re not home or cannot find anyone else to grab the package for you. Now that you know these simple tips, you’ll be better equipped to protect your deliveries this holiday season and all year long.

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