What The Tech: Protecting yourself against porch pirates
BY JAMEY TUCKER, Consumer Technology Reporter
After decades of online shopping, porch pirates are still keeping busy. Package theft surges every holiday season, and the numbers keep climbing. Recent surveys show one in three Americans had at least one package stolen in the past year. Nationwide losses now exceed $20 billion.
And it takes only seconds. Most thefts happen so fast the thief is gone before the doorbell notification even pops up. But you can make it much harder for anyone to swipe your deliveries. It starts before you even tap “buy now.”
Choose Smart Delivery Options
Amazon offers several alternatives to leaving packages out in the open. Depending on the item, you can send purchases to an Amazon Locker, usually inside a nearby business. You’ll get a message when it arrives, walk in, scan a QR code, and grab your package securely.
Another option is Amazon’s in home delivery system. With a compatible smart garage door opener and a security camera inside, the driver opens your garage, places the package inside, and closes the door behind them. Some orders include this at no cost, though Amazon sometimes charges a small fee. If you choose Amazon Day delivery, the in garage option is free for Prime members.
Bundle Deliveries When You’re Home
If you’re normally at work during the week, choose a day when you’ll definitely be home. Amazon Day Delivery groups everything into a single drop, cuts down on boxes, and often comes with small credits toward digital books, movies, or music.
If a Package Goes Missing
Amazon’s A to Z Guarantee protects purchases that vanish from your porch. Amazon recommends waiting forty-eight hours, then you have thirty days to file a claim for a refund or replacement.
Police also encourage anyone with video footage of a porch pirate to include it when filing a report. Sharing clips in neighborhood groups can alert others and sometimes help identify the suspect. And if you see someone trailing delivery trucks or acting suspiciously, call police.
Package theft isn’t going away, but a few smart choices can keep your holiday orders in your
house instead of someone else’s
