This is the time we need to be the most vigilante. As you can imagine, more packages were stolen from front porches at this time than during the whole year. Reports say 230 million packages were stolen from porches across the country in the last year, totaling $5.4 billion. How can you fight back? Products Yale Smart Delivery Box: We bought the “Kent” style of the box on sale for $224. This delivery box lets you receive packages and deliveries without worrying about them getting damaged or stolen. It even says “delivery” on the front! It pairs with the Yale Access App to lock and unlock the box from anywhere! The box stays unlocked until the first package is delivered. Once the package is dropped in and the lid is closed, the box will automatically lock. If you’re expecting more packages, then you can unlock it from your phone. You also get a delivery history and alerts to your phone as well. You can buy other things for the box that will up your game protection too. You can buy a keypad to lock and unlock the box if you don’t want to use your phone. You can also buy a cooler bag if you’re getting groceries delivered inside. Worried about someone taking the whole box? There’s a tether that you can buy to tether the box to your house. The stand also has space in it to fill it with sand or stones. Interested in upping your storage game altogether? Click here to see more Yale products. Ring Mailbox Sensor: Know exactly when a package arrives in your mailbox with an alert to your phone. We got the Ring Mailbox Sensor for $30. You’ll need the free Ring app to get the alerts. To connect this to your home’s WiFi you’ll also need the Ring Bridge. If you have ring lights or cameras, you might already have the Bridge. We bought them all together for just over $50. The sensor attaches to your mailbox with the use of sticky tape or screws, which are all provided in the box. You stick the sensor on the inside of your mailbox. If you want an extended range, you can attach the antenna to the outside of the mailbox. Then, every time the mailbox door opens, you get an alert to your phone. Elephantrunk: This is a delivery box, similar to a mailbox that we bought for $256. It comes from the company “Architectural Mailboxes.” The delivery driver comes and opens the top door. They’ll place your package inside and the mechanism will drop it down into the bottom of the box. Thieves can’t reach into the top of the box. And in order to get your packages out, you need to use the key that comes with it. If you’re worried about someone picking up the mailbox and walking off with it, the box comes with screws and a bolt to secure it to the ground. Some people online have said they’ve loaded the bottom with stones and bricks too. More posts online say they’ve put a sign on their mailbox that says “deliveries” as a helpful reminder to delivery drivers. There’s also a way to secure the box for outgoing deliveries too. Keter Delivery Box: This delivery box is similar to the one above in that it secures your packages at the bottom so thieves can’t reach in and snag them. When the top lid is lifted, metal strings lift a system of trays for the delivery to be placed on. When the lid is closed, the package slides off the tray to the bottom of the box. There, the deliveries stay safe until you come and open the front door. That door can be locked using a separate lock you either own already or purchase separately. The box is pretty big and can hold a lot. It also has “packages” written on the front. The box has a bottom tray that can be filled with bricks or stones to weigh it down but the whole thing can be anchored like the others. Warning: If you’re buying straight from Amazon, it takes one or two months to ship. So this would make a great holiday gift to prepare for all of next year, but it won’t help you immediately. Here’s more from the Keter website. PorchPals: When a package is stolen, it’s up to you to contact the seller but they don’t always feel the need to reimburse you. Insure your deliveries on your own. PorchPals is a new service that will insure three packages a year for a yearly (or monthly) fee. You submit a claim and get your money back! Cameras: While cameras don’t stop thieves, you can help stop them from targeting your house and your neighbors by using doorbell cameras and security cameras. If a package is stolen off your porch, you can use the footage while submitting a police report. Flood lights: Security experts say motion-activated lights can fend off the porch of pirates at night. When the light goes on, it could scare them they’ve been caught. They say thieves have enough adrenaline pumping, so they’re not thinking clearly that it could be just a light. More tips Require a signature: When filling out the shipping details, check off “signature required.” Major carriers all have this option. Then, someone in your home can sign for it and bring it into the house. If you’re not home, you’ll be able to go to the carrier to pick it up. Delivery spot: If you’re getting something shipped with a major carrier, you can put a note in the shipping details asking the carrier to drop it off somewhere other than your porch. You can ask for it to be delivered behind a potted plant or at a back door. Amazon also has this option after you place the order if you go into the order details. Amazon Locker: Have your packages delivered to an Amazon locker. it’s free! There are lockers at various locations, even at convenience stores. All you have to do is click the option and the site will give you options near you. You’ll then get a notification that it was delivered and you can use the code in your email to open the locker your package is in. Amazon Key: Prime members in certain locations can sign up to have packages delivered inside their door to their house or inside their vehicle. For this, you need to install the Amazon Key Home Kit, which includes a smart lock, security camera and the Amazon Key app. Then you can remotely lock and unlock your door from your phone to let the delivery person inside. The kit even lets you watch the delivery driver from the camera.
This is the time we need to be the most vigilante. As you can imagine, more packages were stolen from front porches at this time than during the whole year. Reports say 230 million packages were stolen from porches across the country in the last year, totaling $5.4 billion. How can you fight back?
Products
Yale Smart Delivery Boxes: We bought the “Kent” style of the box on sale for $224. This delivery box lets you receive packages and deliveries without worrying about them getting damaged or stolen. It even says “delivery” on the front! It pairs with the Yale Access App to lock and unlock the box from anywhere! The box stays unlocked until the first package is delivered. Once the package is dropped in and the lid is closed, the box will automatically lock. If you’re expecting more packages, then you can unlock it from your phone. You also get a delivery history and alerts to your phone as well. You can buy other things for the box that will up your game protection too. You can buy a keypad to lock and unlock the box if you don’t want to use your phone. You can also buy a cooler bag if you’re getting groceries delivered inside. Worried about someone taking the whole box? There’s a tether that you can buy to tether the box to your house. The stand also has space in it to fill it with sand or stones. Interested in upping your storage game altogether? Click here to see more Yale products.
Ring Mailbox Sensors: Know exactly when a package arrives in your mailbox with an alert to your phone. We got the Ring Mailbox Sensor for $30. You’ll need the free Ring app to get the alerts. To connect this to your home’s WiFi you’ll also need the Ring Bridge. If you have ring lights or cameras, you might already have the Bridge. We bought them all together for just over $50. The sensor attaches to your mailbox with the use of sticky tape or screws, which are all provided in the box. You stick the sensor on the inside of your mailbox. If you want an extended range, you can attach the antenna to the outside of the mailbox. Then, every time the mailbox door opens, you get an alert to your phone.
Elephantrunk: This is a delivery box, similar to a mailbox that we bought for $256. It comes from the company “Architectural Mailboxes.” The delivery driver comes and opens the top door. They’ll place your package inside and the mechanism will drop it down into the bottom of the box. Thieves can’t reach into the top of the box. And in order to get your packages out, you need to use the key that comes with it. If you’re worried about someone picking up the mailbox and walking off with it, the box comes with screws and a bolt to secure it to the ground. Some people online have said they’ve loaded the bottom with stones and bricks too. More posts online say they’ve put a sign on their mailbox that says “deliveries” as a helpful reminder to delivery drivers. There’s also a way to secure the box for outgoing deliveries too.
Keter Delivery Box: This delivery box is similar to the one above in that it secures your packages at the bottom so thieves can’t reach in and snag them. When the top lid is lifted, metal strings lift a system of trays for the delivery to be placed on. When the lid is closed, the package slides off the tray to the bottom of the box. There, the deliveries stay safe until you come and open the front door. That door can be locked using a separate lock you either own already or purchase separately. The box is pretty big and can hold a lot. It also has “packages” written on the front. The box has a bottom tray that can be filled with bricks or stones to weigh it down but the whole thing can be anchored like the others. Warning: If you’re buying straight from Amazon, it takes one or two months to ship. So this would make a great holiday gift to prepare for all of next year, but it won’t help you immediately. Here’s more from the Keter website.
PorchPals: When a package is stolen, it’s up to you to contact the seller but they don’t always feel the need to reimburse you. Insure your deliveries on your own. PorchPals is a new service that will insure three packages a year for a yearly (or monthly) fee. You submit a claim and get your money back!
Cameras: While cameras don’t stop thieves, you can help stop them from targeting your house and your neighbors by using doorbell cameras and security cameras. If a package is stolen off your porch, you can use the footage while submitting a police report.
Flood lights: Security experts say motion-activated lights can fend off pirates’ porches at night. When the light goes on, it could scare them they’ve been caught. They say thieves have enough adrenaline pumping, so they’re not thinking clearly that it could be just a light.
More tips
Require a signature: When filling out the shipping details, check off “signature required.” Major carriers all have this option. Then, someone in your home can sign for it and bring it into the house. If you’re not home, you’ll be able to go to the carrier to pick it up.
delivery spot: If you’re getting something shipped with a major carrier, you can put a note in the shipping details asking the carrier to drop it off somewhere other than your porch. You can ask for it to be delivered behind a potted plant or at a back door. Amazon also has this option after you place the order if you go into the order details.
Amazon Lockers: Have your packages delivered to an Amazon locker. it’s free! There are lockers at various locations, even at convenience stores. All you have to do is click the option and the site will give you options near you. You’ll then get a notification that it was delivered and you can use the code in your email to open the locker your package is in.
Amazon Keys: Prime members in certain locations can sign up to have packages delivered inside their door to their house or inside their vehicle. For this, you need to install the Amazon Key Home Kit, which includes a smart lock, security camera and the Amazon Key app. Then you can remotely lock and unlock your door from your phone to let the delivery person inside. The kit even lets you watch the delivery driver from the camera.