Beware porch pirates!

Beware porch pirates!
Posted on 10/31/2022

The holiday shopping season brings an increase in home package deliveries. This is when porch pirates are at their busiest, trolling neighborhoods looking for packages to steal, often in broad daylight.

What’s a porch pirate? It’s a nickname for thieves who cruise neighborhoods looking for newly delivered packages to steal from resident’s porches.

Here are some tips from the Lenexa Police Department to help minimize your chances of being victimized by these thieves.

  • Sign up for delivery notifications so you know exactly when your package has been delivered.
  • Take packages inside as soon as you can, or have a trusted neighbor pick them up from your porch.
  • Have packages delivered to your work or another alternate location where someone will be present to accept them.
  • If using Amazon, consider having packages delivered to a Hub Locker where your package will be secure until you retrieve it.
  • As an alternative to home delivery, many retailers offer online purchase with curbside or in-store pickup.
  • Consider installing a doorbell camera, which can be a deterrent to thieves.
  • Report suspicious persons or activity in your neighborhood to 911. Burglars or porch pirates may be cruising around looking for packages to steal or homes to break into.

Published October 31, 2022