Cheers! It’s National Package Protection Day! If you’re wondering why you should be celebrating, keeping your deliveries protected is actually a huge way to save money-especially during the holiday season. One in three Americans report having at least one package stolen. In 2020, 1.7 million packages were stolen or lost every day in the U.S., according to researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, resulting in $25 million of lost goods. So raise a glass and toast to these ways to keep all of your prized presents for yourself and others safe from package thieves. 

                By                    Sam DiSalvo

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Schedule Deliveries 

Many retailers and shipping companies — like FedEx — allow you to either schedule deliveries or at least get notifications for when the package is arriving. If you’re able to schedule the delivery, make it a time when you know for sure you’ll be home and able to retrieve the package as soon as it arrives. If you can’t directly schedule the delivery, turn on notifications so you know when the package comes and you can get it as soon as possible to reduce the likelihood of a person taking it. 

Leave Specific Delivery Instructions

Most of the time, when you order something online, there’s space for delivery notes. Is there a place that’s slightly out of view from the street that might be safer for the courier to leave a package? Or if you live in an apartment, can you have the package dropped off at the management office? Indicate those areas in your delivery notes so your package isn’t dropped right in front of your house or apartment.

Require a Signature

Home most of the day? It’s worth opting for a signature to receive your packages. That way, there’s no way the delivery person will leave a package on your doorstep. You can receive the delivery as soon as it comes and store it inside. 

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Have the Package Delivered to a Storefront or Locker

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Ask a Trusted Neighbor or Friend To Get the Delivery

If you’re out of town for an extended period of time and are expecting some deliveries, ask a neighbor or a friend to come by and pick up the packages while you’re gone. They can keep them safe at their home until you return. This also prevents a pile of packages from building up in front of your door, which tips off criminals that you’re out of town, enabling them to potentially target your house for theft.

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Install a Doorbell With a Camera

Purchasing a video doorbell like Ring lets you communicate with those who ring the doorbell so you can tell them where to put packages whether or not you’re there to get them. Some can even detect motion without the bell even ringing so you can get an alert whenever someone is on your doorstep. Though this doesn’t outright stop theft, it could discourage thieves from taking things off your porch once they see there’s a camera watching their moves. Using the app associated with your doorbell, you can also take videos and pictures of those at your door in case you do have to report them for any reason. 

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