As packages are delivered this holiday season the Amarillo community is urged to be wary of porch pirates targeting your packages this holiday season.
(New Rochelle, NY) — My neighbor marched up the stairs of his home a few weeks back, let out a big sigh and said “not again”. For the second time in a week he had received a text that a new pair of Air Jordans had been dropped at his door by UPS. The timing was perfect. He was just getting off the Light Rail a few blocks away and raced home. By the time he arrived the package was gone. The shoe retailer agreed to send out a second pair. Again he got a text from UPS that the package was at his front door. This time he was still on the Light Rail, but was hoping for the best. The heavy sigh I witnessed and heard was the frustration of yet another pair of expensive sneakers being swiped again by porch pirates.
Porch piracy has grown as e-commerce has exploded, creating a constant challenge for consumers, retailers, and law enforcement alike. The shift from brick-and-mortar retail to online shopping, that really exploded during the pandemic has created an environment of increased opportunity, with very little skill or risk for the thief.
Over 200 million packages were stolen across the country last year, resulting in billions of dollars in consumer and retailer losses. The crime is often a quick, low-risk endeavor for the thief, who can operate alone or in teams, sometimes just following delivery trucks to snatch packages seconds after they are dropped off. So, is there anyway to really stop the porch pirates?
Some of the solutions may seem obvious, but are likely the most effective. Have packages delivered to your workplace, a trusted neighbor’s house, or use a pickup point such as an Amazon Hub Locker or a UPS Access Point. The package delivery companies have grown wiser over the years, utilizing tracking and notification features that give the consumer a pretty accurate delivery time.
Police say there are simple things you can do things to deter thieves. Set up security cameras and video doorbells as deterrents. While they do not always stop a determined thief, the presence of recording devices makes the crime more risky. Thieves also prefer to operate under cover of darkness or without drawing attention. Bright, sudden lighting can startle them away.
Police departments across the Hudson Valley say they are doing their part to track down and arrest package thieves. They are working in concert with retailers like Amazon, to deploy decoy packages equipped with hidden GPS tracking devices in high-theft areas. The packages send off alerts when they are moved, and officers can in real time track down the offenders. A number of police departments across New York state now also offer their station houses as place for neighbors to send off or receive packages.
