Package theft is a common frustration for people all over the country. Roughly 11% of Americans reported having at least one package stolen from their porch in 2021, with an astounding 64% reporting at least one package theft in their lives.
The numbers break down in predictable ways, with your package more likely to be stolen if you live in an apartment complex than a single-family home, more in urban areas than rural ones, and somewhat more likely to happen if you're a young adult versus a senior. Given the statistical likelihood of package theft, it's a good idea to get ready before it happens so you can manage the situation properly.
Here's what to do if you're the victim of package theft:
- Report your packages stolen
- Inform your neighbors of package theft
- Require a signature for all future deliveries
- Have packages delivered to a secure inbox
- Invest in a home security system
Prevent Package Theft Before it Happens. Contact Ackerman Today.
Families in Atlanta can protect themselves and their homes from package theft and other crimes with a solid home security system. Since 1967, the home security experts at Ackerman Security have been helping you keep your home safe. Contact us today at (800) 552-1111, or use our handy online portal to get an instant security quote today.
Report Your Packages Stolen
Package thieves operate secretly, often committing their crimes impulsively and without much planning. Because of this, a swift report to the authorities gives you the best chance of sweeping up clues to who stole your parcel and where they can be found in time to recover your property.
As soon as you realize your package has been stolen, call your local police non-emergency line and ask to file a theft report. Not only does this open an investigation that could lead to justice and get your stuff back, but it also comes in handy if the stolen items are insured.
Many shipping insurance issuers require a police report to be filed before they will pay out a loss. Many online retailers process refunds and replacements more quickly if they get a copy of the official police report.
Inform Your Neighbors of Package Theft
Because package theft is so often a crime of opportunity, the thieves who do it are likely to steal from homes on their regular walking or driving routes. That makes it more likely that they'll also take a shot at your neighbors' porches. By letting your neighbors know what's happened, not only do you do the neighborly thing and give everyone a heads-up, but you're also putting the whole community on alert for anyone caught acting suspiciously in the near future.
It's even possible that the person caught stealing from your neighbor tomorrow will be the same person who stole your package yesterday, which might lead police to your stolen items in their garage.
Require a Signature for All Future Deliveries
It's not easy for a porch pirate to steal hand-delivered items. Though it can be inconvenient, you may wish to consider requiring a signature for all high-value future deliveries.
While this can make the logistics of your deliveries less convenient, and you may even want to schedule pickups at a local delivery center, if possible, it's one of the most effective ways to keep passing strangers off your porch and ensure you get all the deliveries you've paid for.
Have Packages Delivered to a Secure Inbox
Consider installing a secure drop box on your porch or somewhere the delivery driver can get to it. This should be a stout container that's physically attached to your house or to a stake driven deep into the ground that's hard to pull out. It should be strong enough to survive a casual assault but with an easy pull-out drawer that lets your driver drop the package into the bin where it will be safe.
This is essentially a fortified mailbox for parcel deliveries, and you have an almost unlimited range of options for how you want to build it and where it can safely be installed.
Invest in a Home Security System
Installing a sound home security system is far and away the best approach to deter package theft. Because the people who do this rely on secrecy and lack of attention to their activities, a prominent porch-mounted camera system hooked to an alarm is second only to a barking dog for deterring casual package theft from your porch.
Invest in a whole house security system to benefit from this. Ideally, you will have a daylight/low-light camera with a live feed and recording capabilities mounted near your front door at an angle that will pick up the act of theft, the thief's face, and, hopefully, their license plate as well. The mere presence of such a camera is probably all you need to make your porch an unappealing target for drive-by package thieves.
Protect Yourself from Porch Theft with Help from Ackerman Security.
If you live anywhere in the greater Atlanta Metro region, you know that package theft is a real problem you need to get under control. The security professionals at Ackerman Security have decades of experience with porch cameras, home security systems, alarms, and live remote monitoring. Call us at (800) 552-1111 today or head to our website for an instant security quote. We're proud to offer an unmatched 200% No-Theft guarantee.