Tips From Norwalk Police To Avoid 'Porch Pirates'

NORWALK, CT — With the Holidays and online buying in full swing, the Norwalk Police Department is offering the following suggestions to thwart "porch pirates" that will help "to keep your Cyber Monday purchases safe." Porch pirates are thieves who steal packages that have been delivered to a home.

According to statistics reported by Parcel Pending, more than 11 million homeowners in the United States reported having a package stolen in the past year. And nearly three-quarters of those packages were stolen during the day when the homeowner was at work.

Below are the tips to help you avoid falling victim to package theft:

1. Have your package delivered to your workplace‬ ‪

2. Require a signature for delivery ‪

3. Schedule the delivery when someone will be home‬ ‪

4. Ask a trusted neighbor or friend to pick it up‬

5. Arrange for the package to be left at the backdoor, so it is not visible from the road. Most of these thefts are crimes of opportunity

6. Install video surveillance‬