Central Marin Police Offer Package Theft Prevention Tips

MARIN COUNTY, CA -- The holiday shopping season has officially begun and Cyber Monday is expected to be the largest online shopping day in history with predicted sales of $3.36 billion.

Unfortunately, the convenience of online shopping and home delivery also provides opportunities for home package thefts. These crimes usually occur during daytime hours when many people are not at home. Some thieves even follow delivery trucks on their daily routes and target homes where packages are left unattended.

Here are a few steps you can take to prevent becoming a victim of “porch piracy”:

• Have your package delivered to someone who can receive it in person, like a trusted neighbor or relative who is usually at home.
• If allowed, have packages delivered to your work place. Be sure to check with your employer first.
• If shopping with a large retailer, request to pick up your order at a local store branch.
• Request that the shipper hold the package at their pick-up facility until you pick it up in person.
• Track your package online and then arrange a specific date and time for delivery when you will be at home to receive it.

Most large carriers offer the tracking option via their websites: FedEx: http://www.fedex.com/trackingUPS: https://www.ups.com/tracking/tracking.html\DHL: http://www.dhl.com/en/express/tracking.htmlUSPS: https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction_input

If you take these extra steps to make sure that you receive your packages, you greatly reduce the possibility of porch pirates plundering your holiday.

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