Is your neighborhood filled with the sounds of delivery trucks?
Mine is. ‘Tis the season! 
I’ve seen delivery trucks in my neighborhood late in the evening and early in the morning.
While there’s more to the holiday season than gifts, it’s frustrating if thieves target your house or neighborhood. Here are some tips that may help keep your packages safe.
1. Don’t let your packages sit. Monitor when your packages are expected to arrive. Leaving your packages on your porch, in your mailbox overnight, or for a couple of days is an open invitation to thieves.2. Talk to your neighbors. If you have neighbors who are home during the day, consider asking them to collect your packages on the delivery date. They’ll likely be willing to help, which can eliminate some holiday stress for you.
3. Ship to an alternate address. Depending on where you work, your company may allow you to ship your packages directly to your place of business. Check with management to see if this is acceptable. In addition, consider shipping your packages to a friend or relative’s home.
4. Ship to the store. Some retailers allow you to ship to a store near you. While this isn’t as convenient, it does provide security and helps avoid long lines at the register. Some stores even offer special parking near the entrance.
5. Hi-tech solutions. If you order numerous packages all year round, invest in technology-based solutions. Examples of this may include mobile apps, security cameras, or services.
6. Install a package lockbox. If you have deliveries daily, consider installing a lockbox. These boxes can be bolted to your front porch. Once installed, share your code with your delivery service, and you should be good to go.
7. Signature on delivery. Consider having your packages delivered only when someone can sign for them.
8. Insure your holiday packages. Because package theft increases around the holidays, it may be wise to insure your packages this time of year. If your package is stolen, you can be reimbursed for your loss.
9. Ship to your local pack and ship store. If you have a UPS, FedEx, or other locally owned packing and shipping store nearby, consider sending your packages there.
I hope implementing one of these safety techniques can give you peace of mind during this hectic holiday season.
Do you have any suggestions or information you’d like to share? I’d love to hear from you. Please share them in the box below.
Sources:
https://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2017/pr17_066.pdf
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/26/ups-expects-to-ship-750-million-packages-this-holiday-season.html
