The porch pirate is a new breed of thief that emerged when the e-commerce boom hit. They drive around housing areas, looking for packages and when they see a target, they park up outside and brazenly walk to the package and return to their car. Sometimes they luck out and get a MacBook Air or a pair of Nike trainers and you would be surprised at the number of people that actually are porch pirates. Some are ‘opportunist pirates’ who go about their day keeping their eye out for parcels and packages of any kind, then there are the full-time guys (and girls) who drive for 8-10 hours a day covering a big area.
While we can’t eradicate these nasty individuals, you can minimise the risk with the following tips:
Motion Sensor LED Lighting
Inexpensive and very effective, these work even in the daytime. As soon as the thief sees the light, it’s a quick turnaround and on to the next target. Perfect at night, a really bright LED spot would illuminate the entire neighbourhood.
Delivery Notifications
If you request delivery notification from the same day courier Adelaide or your location has, you will know shortly before the package arrives, allowing you to make provisions for its retrieval. Call that trusted neighbour and ask them to pop over and take the receipt on your behalf, something every neighbour would be happy to do.
Install A Cam
This is not going to stop the braver pirates, but it will show you the perpetrator and for what it costs, have a few installed in the driveway, in prominent places. If stuff ever goes missing from your front porch, simply rewind the video until you discover what happened.
Provide An Alternative Address
Most courier firms are fine if you contact and give them a different address; the information is quickly relayed to the driver. This is the safest way to handle a delivery when no one is at home, especially something of value. Much like a car thief, the porch pirate can strike at any time and having the package dropped off at your best friend’s house is easily arranged.
Advise Additional Information
If you have a cupboard or concealed corner on your porch, you can call the courier and relay this info to the driver. Once the package is out of sight, the chances of it being stolen are virtually nil. Drivers are always happy to oblige and they are also trained to spot potential porch pirates while going about their deliveries.
Some people stick a ‘beware of the dog’ sign on the front gate, which might deter the thief, but if you have advanced notice of package delivery, one of the above will keep it safe until you arrive home. Hopefully, this practice will soon die out, as we now have the technology to monitor our driveways and it is comforting to know that they are sometimes the victim of another porch pirate!