The holidays are here, and unfortunately so are the porch pirates. "Porch pirate" is the term used for people who search out unattended packages on porches, and take them.  Thanks to online shopping we have the luxury of getting our holiday shopping done, and not having to leave our home.  It's nice and convenient, however if you aren't home when your packages are delivered they could sit on your porch for hours, and unfortunately there's people who go around looking for these opportunities. Just look at EPD's Facebook page. In the last couple days they've posted 3 different security cam pictures of people who were stealing packages from homes in Evansville.

Basically what I'm  saying is people suck, but there are some ways to help prevent your packages from getting stolen. According to Safety.com there's a few things you can do to help prevent package theft.

1) Have your packages delivered to your work.  

Most package theft happens because people work, when we're at work and our packages get delivered, many times it's not convenient to run right home and get it.  So having your packages delivered to your work helps eliminate that.

2) Take advantage of ship to store options

Of course the convenience of online shopping is you don't have to go into public.  Let's be real, it's a pain to go anywhere during the holidays, everyone is rushing around shopping, and places are busy.  However the bonus is many retailers offer the ship to store option for free, so you don't have to pay shipping, and you still have the convenience of not having to shop. You can run in, grab what you ordered and leave, so it's still pretty convenient.

3) A security doorbell/security camera

I have a Ring doorbell, and love it. The doorbell has a security camera on it, and a motion detector. anytime it detects motion at my front door it alerts my phone so even when I'm at work, I can see who is there. Another plus is just seeing it is a deterrent for package thieves. Also it has a talk through option where I can talk to whoever is at my door through it.  While *knock on wood* I haven't had any issues with package theft, it's nice to know I've got an extra eye on things even when I'm working.

4) Keep area around your porch clear and visible 

According to Safety.com this tip comes from law enforcement. Package thieves want to be able to grab your package quickly and not noticed. So if your porch is widely visible they're more likely to skip it to go to a porch where they can be less easily seen.

5) Buy a parcel dropbox

While this method is a bit more on the extreme side, you can purchase a parcel drop box like the one linked here, where the delivery person can easily drop the package in, but you have to have a key to unlock it and get it out.  If you're someone who gets a TON of packages delivered, this may be a good investment. The only issue is there is a size limit so too  many packages or big packages won't fit.

Of course there's more ways to protect yourself, including making it so you have to physically sign for a package, or selecting to pick up the package at Fed Ex/UPS facilities. It's also recommended that you turn on delivery alerts, which most major carriers offer.  In fact I sign up for text alerts every time I order something online, which is nice because I get a text when my package is out for delivery, and when it has been delivered which is nice.

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