HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — It's the busiest time of the year for shipping companies, and there's a good chance some of those packages are heading for your doorstep. What can you do to make sure they actually get to you?
"A lot of people are doing a lot of online shopping, having a lot of things delivered," said Sgt. Chris Jackson, Public Information Officer with Huntsville Police Department." There's videos online of less than 15 seconds, that package got dropped off and then it was gone."
While it may be frustrating for the customer, it's equally frustrating for law enforcement.
"These individuals that are jumping from a porch; they're unemployed, they don't want to work they have no aspirations of doing anything but taking from the people who are working, who do work hard," said Brent Patterson, Public Information Officer with Madison County Sheriff's Office.
Experts have a list of tips to help you thwart porch pirates now and throughout the year:
- Use package tracking, keep an eye on it and retrieve the package as soon as possible once it's been delivered, or ask someone you trust to pick it up for you.
- Get your packages delivered to a pickup location, like Amazon lockers, Amazon counters or UPS Access Points.
- Provide a shipping address where someone will be home.
- Leave instructions on where to leave the package.
- Opt for signature-required deliveries to ensure the package isn’t left unattended.
- Choose specific delivery times when you are likely to be home.
- Set up a vacation hold: Contact delivery services, like USPS, UPS or FedEx to temporarily hold your packages while you’re out of town.
- Install a video doorbell.
What if your package is missing?
ADT has some tips on what to do if your packages aren't where you expect them to be.
- Make sure it was actually delivered using tracking information.
- Check around your property for packages and ask your neighbors if they have them.
- Contact the sender to see what remedies they offer for stolen packages. If it was from a friend or family member, confirm they had the correct address.
- Contact the shipping company to report a stolen package and follow their process for filing a report.
- Contact local law enforcement. If there are multiple thefts in a certain area, they may step-up patrols. While what they are able to do varies by jurisdiction, a police report can be useful if you plan to file any type of insurance claim.
Many companies, including Amazon and Etsy, have their own policies on what to do if your package is stolen, lost or damaged. For more information on Amazon's "A to Z Guarantee," click here. For more information on Etsy's Purchase Protection Program, click here.
What's the penalty for porch pirates?
Officials say punishment depends on the cost of the item(s) stolen. Sgt. Jackson said anything less than $500 is considered a misdemeanor theft. But for the high-ticket items, including those worth more than $2,500:
"iPhones, big screen TVs, sound bars, the multi-thousand dollar items that people are ordering, if those get stolen, that obviously is going to change the degree of theft," Jackson said.
Alabama state law says first-degree theft is considered a Class B Felony, meaning potential punishment could be 2-20 years behind bars and a fine of up to $30,000.