How to Prevent Holiday Package Theft

The festive season brings joy, but it also presents an increased risk of package theft. Simple measures such as installing security cameras and package lockers can deter potential thieves. Here’s your guide to protecting your deliveries from theft this holiday season.

It’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of the holiday season. You have to plan for family events, prepare food and drinks, and put up decorations. That’s not to mention travel plans.

Meanwhile, most people start shopping online for the perfect gifts well ahead of time. Many of these gifts are going to arrive at your house while you’re at work or out running errands. This creates a perfect opportunity for porch pirates who steal packages right from your front door.

This season, our gift to you is this guide to prevent package theft and keep those holiday deliveries safe.

RELATED POST: How to Stop Porch Pirates from Stealing Your Packages

Here are some things that may make your home vulnerable to package theft.

To effectively prevent porch piracy in the holiday shopping season, it’s important to understand how these thefts usually happen. Getting to know these tactics can really help boost your home’s security and reduce the chances of package theft.

Thieves often take advantage of weak spots in the delivery process to steal packages. One common trick is following delivery trucks to see where they drop off packages that are left unattended. They tend to target neighborhoods where homes are set back from the street or hidden by trees and bushes, making it easier for them to sneak up without being seen. Some might just walk around, looking for parcels that are visible from the road.

Porch pirates tend to target homes or neighborhoods with specific vulnerabilities:

• Packages and mail left unattended for extended periods
• Absence of visible security cameras
• Lack of nearby neighbors or visibility from the street
• Homes with regular delivery patterns
• Poor lighting around entryways and porches

These thieves usually move quickly, often hitting right after delivery boxes arrive, knowing that many people are at work or caught up in their day. Sometimes, they even dress up as real postal service delivery workers, wearing uniforms or carrying clipboards, so they don’t raise any eyebrows with neighbors or passersby.

Here are four ways to protect your packages from theft this holiday season.

1. Keep a watchful eye.

The best way to prevent porch pirates, of course, is to stay home, keeping an eye out for deliveries. While this might sound nice on a snowy day, it’s not practical for everyone. You need to go out into the world and get things done. You can’t be everywhere at once. Those halls aren’t going to deck themselves, after all!

So how can you stop holiday package theft even while you’re not home? If you know a delivery is en route, ask a friendly neighbor if they can intercept the package and hold it until you get home. And offer to return the favor.

Requiring a signature on delivery adds an extra layer of security. While it might be a little less convenient than just leaving a package at your door—especially if you’re often out—it makes sure that parcels are handed directly to someone. This is especially helpful for high-value or irreplaceable items, as it lowers the chances of your package being left unattended and getting stolen.

You could also set up an alternate recipient who will be home at the designated time. This is especially helpful if someone needs to sign for the package.

2. Give (yourself) the gift of a home security system.

Another option is to invest in technology and services that prevent holiday package theft for you. If you want to create your own home security strategy, here’s where to start.

Security cameras

The first item on your security shopping list is a set of home security cameras.

If kids behave because Santa “sees you when you’re sleeping,” it makes sense that strangers will behave because a camera is watching their every move. A security camera is a warning to potential package thieves: don’t even think about it. Plus, if you do have a package go missing, you’ll have a recording to review what happened — or share with the police if necessary.

Modern wireless security cameras save you the hassle and worry of installation. This type of camera is perfect for most homes and even small businesses. With easy DIY instructions, you can have a camera up and running in 30 minutes.

While a visible camera is already enough to deter most porch pirates, Deep Sentinel home security camera systems take crime prevention a step further. All Deep Sentinel cameras come with AI threat detection to prevent false alarms and identify incoming trouble, plus an actual human guard on duty 24/7. The two-way microphone enables guards to confront would-be package thieves before they take anything. And if a porch pirate strikes, the guards contact local law enforcement with specific, verified information.

Once you have a Deep Sentinel hub set up, it’s simple to add more cameras to increase your security coverage. Plus, you can manage all of your cameras easily through a mobile app. Pro tip: label each camera in the app with its location so the guard team knows whether they’re watching your front porch, backyard, or side door.

Simply put, a camera with live security monitoring is the best way to prevent porch pirates. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Security camera accessories

What do you get for people who already have everything? Accessories for the cool things they already have:

• Solar charger panels: If the long-term commitment of changing security camera batteries isn’t your cup of tea (or cocoa), there’s a simpler solution. Take your outdoor cameras to the next level by installing solar charger panels. These save you lots of stress by taking maintenance off your plate.
• Wi-Fi range extender: Do you have a particularly large area to protect and need to spread a network of cameras around? Consider using a Wi-Fi range extender.
• Weatherproof batteries: If you live in a place that resembles the North Pole during the winter months, consider an extreme temperature battery kit. Deep Sentinel’s kit enables your system to operate in temperatures as low as 40 below zero. (You read that right: -40°F.)
• Security signs and decals: Let porch pirates know that they’re being watched before they even try with a hard-to-miss security yard sign. You could also use stickers or decals to get the point across in case the sign doesn’t do the job.

RELATED POST: How to Choose Weatherproof Cameras for Outdoor Security

Other security tools to safeguard your deliveries

There are plenty of other security gadgets that can protect your holiday packages. And they could be the perfect gift for yourself or a friend!

• A package lockbox or locker is a secure spot for your courier to leave deliveries. They’re typically weatherproof, so your cardboard boxes won’t get damaged by an unexpected blizzard. Just enter your unique code or click a button on a mobile app, and the box pops open. It’s a great companion piece to a security camera system if you’re out and about frequently.
• Bright motion-activated floodlights on your front walk prevent porch pirates from hiding in the shadows. As a bonus, they help visitors stay safe by illuminating any icy patches or tripping hazards. Bad for criminals and good for guests, all in one.

3. Track your packages.

Nearly every delivery company or courier gives you the option to track deliveries by providing a unique ID number. You’ll know when it gets shipped from the seller, when it gets loaded on a delivery truck, and when it’s finally dropped off at your house. Depending on the courier service, you might even get a picture of the package after it has reached its destination.

Besides building anticipation for that much-awaited gift, delivery tracking tips you off when something goes wrong. If the courier marked the package as delivered but it’s nowhere in sight, you might have a porch pirate on your hands. Your first step when any delivery is late or missing is to check your tracking information.

Not sure what to do if your Amazon package is stolen? We have a guide for that, too.

4. Use an offsite package locker

If you don’t mind driving to a secondary location to pick up your online purchases, package lockers are a great option. Some retailers and couriers have proprietary locker systems, like Amazon Lockers or UPS 24/7 Lockers. Otherwise, there could be a third-party locker system in your area that accepts packages from any courier.

Here’s how it works: You’ll get some sort of notification that your package has arrived, along with instructions to access your locker. Other shoppers share the same lockers, but only you will have access to your items. Using lockers does add an extra errand to your day, but it keeps your package very safe.

RELATED POST: Home Burglary Statistics: 11 Stats Every Homeowner Should Know in 2024

Protect your deliveries from holiday package theft.

Tracking down and replacing missing parcels is a frustrating ordeal. Don’t let holiday package theft get you down this season. You don’t have to become a victim of “the porch pirate who stole Christmas” ever again.

With Deep Sentinel’s AI-powered home security cameras, you can gift yourself some peace of mind while keeping your holiday packages safe. Our cutting-edge technology monitors your property 24/7, allowing our live security guards to intervene directly if they spot suspicious activity. These cameras are designed to detect and deter package thieves before they even have the chance to strike.

Watch Deep Sentinel in action preventing a real attempted package theft:

Let Deep Sentinel worry about keeping watch over your property so you can go back to worrying about the fun stuff: getting the perfect present, making a feast, decorating the house, and celebrating with people you love.