Safeguard holiday home deliveries

This holiday season many people are expecting packages to be on the doorstep when they arrive home. Instead, they return to find nothing. It’s all because of a growing trend – thieves swiping packages right off front porches.

Every year, the Postal Service, UPS and Fed Ex work double time to make sure packages get to doorsteps. Yet, ensuring those deliveries stay there can be the real challenge.

“Thieves take advantage of trends,” says Albuquerque Police Officer Tanner Tixier.

He’s talking about the trend of online shopping paired with home deliveries. Tixier says that trend means you might want to take a few extra precautions to safeguard yourself.

Last year, in broad daylight, a thief snatched up gifts delivered to a family in the northeast heights just moments after the package was delivered.

In fact, the family was home when the package was delivered, but they never heard a thing, leading them to believe the thief was following the delivery man.

Officer Tixier says there are a few simple steps you can take to help ensure your packages end up in your hands.

He says anytime customers ordering something online, they can offer specific instructions for delivery. Tixier says take advantage of that and ask them to drop it into your backyard, or have them deliver it to a neighbor.

Customers can also ask the post office to hold any deliveries until they can pick them up or require a signature for delivery. There’s also the option of installing Wi-Fi cameras outside front doors in plain sight to monitor deliveries or activity.

Tixier says there’s even more you can do.

“If you’re truly concerned that your packages may get taken off your front porch, for a month, you can go down to any UPS store or post office and rent yourself a post office box for a month and that way you know it’s a secure location for your packages to be dropped off,” he said.

Tixier adds it’s always important to pay attention to the neighborhood’s surroundings, especially this time of year where thieves are looking to take advantage of holiday shoppers.

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE)