It’s the season of giving, but it could also be the season of grabbing deliveries right off your doorstep.
Package theft happens all year, but a lot more deliveries come during the holidays, which leads to more opportunities for what’s known as ‘porch pirates.’
Minot Police Department’s Crime Prevention Officer, Aaron Moss, says the best way to keep it from happening is to lessen the opportunity.
That means closely tracking your deliveries, or if possible, have someone on the lookout.
“If it does happen in a neighborhood, it most likely isn’t just going to happen once, so if people are paying attention it’s very helpful,” Moss said. “We can only be so many places at a given time. If there is a certain area that needs attention from us and couple that with the community’s efforts to pay attention then this crime does decrease.”
Other ways you can make sure no one gets your packages but you:
With the U.S. Postal Service, chose ‘hold for pickup’ and get it at the post office. To do that, click here and enter your tracking number. Then select Hold for Pickup.
You can also customize your delivery and authorize the carrier to leave your items in a specified location so that it’s not left on the doorstep. To do that, click here, enter your tracking number, and select Delivery Instructions.
Or, you can secure the package – with any delivery service – with a signature requirement so that it’s only left on your doorstep if someone’s home to sign.
For a small fee, you can send any package to your local UPS Store instead of to your home. There are UPS stores in Bismarck, Dickinson, Williston, and Minot.
You can also rent a mailbox at The UPS Store and have packages sent directly to that.
If you’re able to, have your package sent to work, or to a trusted friend or family member who can be home at the time of delivery.
