Stolen Packages: How You Can Prevent It

BIRMINGHAM, AL - A crime that has grown in frequency exponentially over the years is package thefy, wherein victims have their packages from a delivery service such as FedEx, UPS or the United States Postal Service stolen from their doorsteps. In fact, according to a recent study, 11 million Americans reported a package stolen in this manner last year. During Christmas shopping season - and with the increasing number of people who order gifts online - this crime seems even more common throughout the country.

USPS does have a division devoted to this kind of crime, and UPS and FedEx do attempt to track package theft rates, but that isn’t doing much to slow the epidemic. According to a study by Package Guard, FedEx and UPS delivered more than 30 million packages a day between Black Friday and Christmas Day 2016, and 70 percent of homeowners expect to receive a package over the holiday season.

Reports throughout community message boards and neighborhood meetings involve missing packages and suspicious activity during this time of year. While some may feel the thieves are a step ahead of the victims, Lt. Sean Edwards of the Birmingham Police Department has a few tips that could prevent package theft, whether it is from your front porch or from your car:

• Keep up with tracking information (possibly arrange to be home)
• Check with neighbor to see if they can pick up package
• Request signature only (prevents package from being left behind)
• Secure all items inside vehicle (never leave in plain view)
• Lock inside trunk lock (in case someone broke car window they cannot get in the trunk)
• Take your keys and lock your doors

Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images