Buyer Beware: Porch Crimes

The trappings of the holidays fill most of us with joy, love, and peace. But for criminals, the holidays can mean ample opportunity to exercise their greediest plots. Thieves want to nab your gifts again this year. Except, instead of breaking and entering, they stalk neighborhoods to swipe parcels from porches.

You don’t have to be a victim of these crimes. Use a few of these helpful tips to keep yourself safe and keep your online purchases from delivery-swiping delinquents.

Desk Delivery

Instead of shipping your presents to your home, have them delivered to your place of work. (Of course, ensure that personal deliveries are in-line with your company’s policies.) Delivery to your office ensures packages won’t be left vulnerable on your doorstep.  Plus, as an added bonus, the prying eyes of family members won’t catch a glimpse of a return address and risk discovering their gift!

Signature Safety

Keep your parcels safe and get to know your neighborhood delivery drivers.  By requiring signatures on deliveries, your packages will go straight from the truck into your waiting hands.  You’ll also have a chance to say a friendly “hello” to some of the hardest workers during the holiday season! We can all agree, a good relationship with your mailman and delivery drivers never hurts.

Locked Location

If you receive valuable packages regularly, a lock box on your porch is a good investment to safeguard against theft. Delivery personnel can drop your packages in the box and lock it behind themselves. Boxes such as this one keep packages out of sight and safely locked away until you can claim your deliveries.

Video Vigilance

Installing a video system keeps an eye on your treasures when you aren’t able. Video surveillance technology is more accessible and affordable than ever. A small camera can deter thieves from perpetrating crimes, and they’ll also help identify criminals who may be targeting your area.

Purchasing your gifts online has changed the way we shop, but it has also changed the way criminals target consumers. Protect your deliveries this holiday season so that you can focus on the peace, love, and joy that the holidays bring.

The Silva Group wishes you a safe and joyous holiday season!