JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Hundreds of thousands of deliveries will be made this week and next following Amazon Prime Day, which means porch pirates will be on the prowl trying to pilfer your packages.
Sorry, we got a little carried away there. But in all seriousness, an estimated 1.7 million packages are lost or stolen in the U.S. every day, according to Security.org.
And post Prime Day package thefts are expected to increase 40%.
Former Officer James Brown, who served with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, said he witnessed most package thefts during the holiday season but warns thieves are always looking for new chances to make money.
“It’s a crime of opportunity,” he said. “Some of these items are taken and resold on the internet.”
The key, Brown said, is to be ready.
“Once you get over the excitement, now think about planning. Is there any additional instructions you need to leave to the delivery driver?” Brown said.
One simple step to protect your package is to have it delivered to an Amazon Hub Locker instead of your home.
You can request a hub locker delivery at checkout. Amazon will find the hub closest to your delivery address.
You can also have a locker installed outside your house. Experts say even a non-locking box can prevent theft.
Another option is to install a battery-powered doorbell camera.
If your package is stolen, you have options.
Amazon covers most stolen packages, but you should still report it to your local police -- even if you didn’t catch the thief on camera.
“That one particular case where it’s reported doesn’t seem like a lot, but if they’re reported on a regular basis, it might be two or three others. One in this area, four five in this area, and you can start connecting the dots,” Brown said. “Crime is usually committed by a very small percentage of people.”