Nov. 29 is National Package Protection Day, an awareness day that was created as a reminder for people to protect their homes as package thefts become more prevalent during this season.
The day is purposely observed on the Wednesday after Thanksgiving. This is the time when many people are starting to receive packages from purchases they made on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and over the weekend.
A season of giving has also become a season of taking for porch pirates. Police say there is always an uptick in reports of package thefts during this season.
“This is a preventable problem so long as people are aware that if they limit the amount of time that their packages are on the front porches, that makes it a lot easier for them to be able to protect everything,” Sgt. Mark Cleverdon, public information officer with South Windsor Police, said.
Police don’t want people to get too caught up in the excitement of receiving packages, then return home to disappointment because it has been stolen. Sgt. Cleverdon said this is the time to create a plan to ensure that packages are still at home when you arrive.
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“Security cameras are a big one. Doorbell cameras are a huge help,” Sgt. Cleverdon explained. “If people have neighbors or family members, if you know your package is going to be out for an extended period of time, they can come to pick those up.”
Cleverdon added that South Windsor Police haven’t seen an uptick in package theft reports yet, but they do expect reports to start coming in soon. He said the first thing you should do is report the theft to the police.
Cleverdon also explained that they will increase patrols in areas with reports of several reports of package thefts.
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In addition, people can coordinate with delivery companies on delivery times, locations, and method of delivery.
Tips to protect your holiday deliveries
Here are some tips from USPS:
Don’t leave delivered mail and packages unattended.
Just as wallets and purses shouldn’t be left on the front seat of an unlocked car overnight, mail and packages shouldn’t be left uncollected in mailboxes or on front porches for any length of time.
Customize the delivery.
If the package doesn’t fit in the mailbox and the customer won’t be home to receive it, the customer can provide delivery instructions online and authorize the carrier to leave it in a specified location. Visit USPS.com, enter the tracking number and select Delivery Instructions.
Going out of town? Hold mail at the local post office.
Instead of risking leaving a package unattended for an extended period of time, customers planning on being away from home for a few days are encouraged to take advantage of the Hold Mail service on USPS.com. Letters and packages will be held securely at the local Post Office until the customers return.
Secure the shipment using USPS Special Services.
Signature Confirmation helps ensure the package ends up in the right hands by requiring the recipient’s first initial and last name at the time of delivery. For the most valuable packages, customers can opt for Registered Mail service. A Registered Mail piece receives special handling from the time it’s mailed until it’s delivered, documenting the chain of custody.
Plan ahead. Ship using Hold for Pickup.
When shipping packages, customers can choose the Hold for Pickup option, and the recipients can collect the packages at their local post office. For customers receiving packages, they can redirect incoming packages to their local Post Office by selecting Hold for Pickup using USPS Package Intercept on USPS.com.
Monitor your front door.
If you have a home security camera system, ensure it captures activity at your front door and mailbox. If you catch any mail thieves in the act, save the video and alert your local postal inspectors by calling 877-876-2455.
