Holiday shopping online? Tips to keep porch pirates at bay

JACKSON, Tenn. — If you’ve already started your holiday shopping, or you’re planning on starting soon, we have some advice and warnings for you to keep in mind.

With deliveries heading out to consumers across the nation, another familiar holiday foe has returned: porch pirates.

Getting a delivery stolen is frustrating, and it takes a lot to correct. In order to keep you and your belongings safe, we have some tips.

First, when you order, try to see if you can have the package delivered at a time when you’re going to be home. If that isn’t an option, many delivery drivers will put a package right where you tell them to, so consider giving instructions to put a delivery where it won’t be visible from the street.

Alternatively, if you know you’re going to be at work when the delivery truck is out, you can have your packages shipped to your workplace.

There are still some actions you can take before your order is ever put on the delivery truck.

If it’s a high value item, getting insurance is usually worth the extra money. This can help guarantee that, in case it does get stolen, your policy can cover you. Check out the options from either the website you’re buying from, or from your postal carrier.

You should also look into home security cameras. Ring door bell cameras are the most popular, but there are even cheaper options if you’d prefer.

Walmart and other retailers have various outside camera options for under $50, and some of them include benefits like private data storage and easy installation.

When it comes to stopping porch pirates, these cameras are the best tool you can have.

But let’s say you did everything right, and your packages still get stolen. We have just a few more steps you can take to make sure you don’t have Christmas ruined by the Grinch.

First: save everything about your order. The receipts, the order confirmation, any pictures or video you have, and even the tracking website. Make sure you take pictures or save documents to help you verify your claim.

Secondly, look at where you ordered from and see what their claims process entails. For Amazon, that involves contacting the seller before making a claim. If it was a postal carrier, all major companies have different guidelines. Some postal carriers require a certain waiting period before you can file a claim.

If you’re ordering a lot, this might be tedious, but just remember the headache of doing extra paperwork beforehand is better than having a package stolen.

You can also always talk to your neighbors and ask that, if they see a package on your front steps, they either hide it or bring it in their house until you get home.

Jackson police say there have been three reports of package thefts since October. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office says they have not received any reports of stolen packages, which the sheriff’s office attributes to growing awareness about thefts.

Jackson Police Department Deputy Chief Derick Tisdale says the public should also be aware of online scams, and online shoppers should be sure not to click on any unfamiliar links to avoid being the victim of a scam.