Porch pirates are thieves who swoop in on packages left by delivery trucks. They leave people stranded while they run off with their packages.
Table of Contents
The best way to catch porch pirates is to make sure the package you want is secured and delivered by a trusted delivery company. Luckily, there are many ways to prevent these criminals. You can ask for signature required delivery, or you can choose to have your package shipped to your home.
First, make sure that your package is visible to your neighbors. If your package is too small, the porch pirate may be able to sneak it inside and steal it. You should sign up for text alerts for at-home deliveries. If you do, you’ll receive a text message hours after your package has been delivered. If the package isn’t in your possession, the thief has already taken it.
Porch pirates aren’t sophisticated crooks; they are simply taking advantage of an opportunity that most consumers don’t think about. Since packages are left in plain sight, they’re easily snatched by unsuspecting thieves. Consumers can protect their packages by purchasing lockable package boxes to store them until they’re ready to be picked up. The video clips are time stamped and can be used to prove a package has been stolen.
A more convenient option is to opt for curbside pickup. This allows delivery drivers to drop off your packages without having to walk through your front door. Additionally, you can ask your delivery company to use a P.O. box. Using a P.O. box means that your package won’t be delivered on prime holiday delivery dates. And, if you do get caught, you’ll have video evidence to show your conviction if your package has been stolen.
How to Keep Porch Pirates at Bay
It is difficult to keep your porch pirates at bay. They take your packages because they are valuable and they know you won’t catch them. Few people expect to be targeted in broad daylight, but the truth is that many packages land on your front porch. Here are some tips to keep your porch pirates at bay. Follow these tips:
Motion detector lights
Motion detector lights are a great way to scare away porch pirates, while shining a spotlight on the culprit. The lights only come on when someone walks up to them, saving you energy costs and spooking any unscrupulous pirates away. There are battery-powered models as well as wired ones, although the latter is more difficult to install. To find the perfect one, read this article and ask a professional for advice.
Installing a porch pirate security camera is another affordable option. AlfredCamera allows you to communicate with the person on the other side of the camera, and will alert you when movement is detected. These cameras are excellent for deterring unwanted visitors, and you’ll be sure to know immediately when someone is sneaking around your porch. If you have multiple suspects, you can set a timer to notify you when they are nearby.
Package boxes
Many homeowners have been victims of porch pirates who steal packages from their front porches. In fact, a Colorado Springs mother of four, Christine Hyatt, has had over twenty packages stolen from her front porch. The family developed a unique solution to this problem by using the boxes from previous Amazon purchases, as well as trash left over from Thanksgiving. They carefully package trash to look like packages. The Whitmer family is encouraging people to keep their packages safe.
Among the most effective ways to stop porch pirates is by installing a package delivery box. These boxes are very similar to those used for U.S. Postal Service, UPS, and FedEx packages. They feature a secure compartment at the bottom and can be bolted to the porch or filled with sand to keep it from tipping over. Some are even connected to the internet and allow the user to receive notifications whenever a package arrives and lock/unlock the box remotely with a smartphone.
Lockable boxes
There are many benefits to installing lockable boxes for porch pirates, including deterring package thieves. Unlike ordinary mailboxes, these boxes can be bolted to the porch or weighed down with sand to prevent theft. Some are also equipped with an internet connection that allows users to receive notifications when a package is delivered or locked and unlocked from their smartphones. For these reasons, a lockable box is one of the best porch pirate solutions available.
Some lockable boxes for porch pirates can cost up to $150, and they can take up a lot of space on a porch. Security cameras and doorbells are also great options. They’re easy to install and don’t require complex wiring, and they can be very affordable as well. A Ring video doorbell, for instance, costs only $100 and includes a protection plan for $3 per month. Ring is also a great choice because it lets you control who gets in and out of your porch by using an app.
Delivery alerts
If you’ve received a package, but are worried that it’s been stolen from your front porch, you may want to subscribe to delivery alerts for porch pirates. These alerts notify you of package delivery status and can even be signed up for by your recipient. Porch pirates are a problem that plague many communities, but there are ways to prevent them. Signing up for such alerts is easy and can help you keep track of your packages from anywhere.
A recent survey revealed that over 23 million Americans have had packages stolen from their front porch. Porch pirates often follow delivery vehicles and steal packages that have not been left on porches. The numbers are alarming: nearly 1.7 million packages are stolen from porches each day across the country. Using a delivery alert to prevent porch piracy could help curb the problem. However, you can also use a security system in your home. You can also alert your neighbors, who may have a security camera or package delivery locker.
Video doorbells
One of the most effective ways to stop porch pirates from breaking into your home is with a video doorbell. These smart devices can send notifications to your smartphone whenever someone arrives at your door. Some even include two-way audio. This feature deters would-be thieves by letting you speak directly to whoever is at the door. The audio from the video doorbell is clear enough to scare away would-be thieves, who can then be warned that the police are on their way.
Many video doorbells also offer 180-degree coverage, allowing you to view what’s happening on your front lawn or on the street in front of your home. They are especially useful if someone is trying to steal valuables from your porch, as they can record everything they do and say. Porch pirates are on the rise in this area, so catching them is essential to restoring your peace of mind.
