Not shopping on Black Friday is a tradition in my family. We’re happy to avoid that madness and spend the day with friends and family away from all those tempting discounts and daunting crowds… and we’re not alone!
In fact, Cyber Monday is increasing in popularity, up 16% from last year and topping the predictions at a whopping $3.07 billion in sales on a single day.* While these numbers are impressive, the increased reliance on internet shopping inevitably feeds another holiday crime trend: package theft.
While you’re out running errands or at work for the day, those great deals you scored online are arriving at home on the porch. While FedEx and UPS do their best to camouflage your delivery, the packages are often visible from a reasonable distance. What some local authorities are finding is that a duo will survey a neighborhood solely for its lonely packages. One person will walk and check porches while the other keeps up in a vehicle to store the goods.
There are many ways to protect your household from losing packages. The simplest: send packages to an occupied address or ask a trusted relative or neighbor to clear your porch for you. If this is a recurring issue in your neighborhood, or you are unable to secure deliveries, consider installing a surveillance system or adding a gate to your front yard, restricting access.
The City of Palo Alto has created this fantastic list of tips to help residents avoid losing packages to theft. Together, we can defeat “porch pirates” and stay cheery well into the new year!
*Footnote Source: http://www.cnbc.com/2015/12/01/cyber-monday-sales-top-3-billion-beat-forecast.html
Published on: Dec 10th, 2015
© Katelyn Radtke, Give-A-Hoot
**Give-A-Hoot Content is for information-purposes only and is not a substitute for specific security consultations. It is always best to consult with a professional specifically for your unique situation.