Online shopping has become the newest trend in purchasing holiday gifts. The convenience of having the perfect gift one search away and delivered to your front porch – what could be better?
But, there is a downfall to this trend: packages sitting on front porches can be stolen and can be damaged in the snow or freezing temperatures. We have all been there, you get the notification email that your purchase has been delivered, and then you go to retrieve the package and it is gone. Or, it has been ruined in the rain due to the delivery driver’s rush to fulfill all their deliveries that day.
Here are 5 tips to protect your packages this holiday season:
Know when the package was delivered, where it was placed, and have evidence of any theft on video. At SEI Security we have a few affordable options for outdoor security cameras:
- Doorbell Cameras: Install a doorbell camera that monitors all comings and goings from your front door. You can set-up alerts on your mobile phone to monitor when a delivery has been made.
- Outdoor Security Cameras: Can be installed in any area around your home you want to monitor. You can set up motion detectors for the area and receive alerts on your mobile phone.
Whatever option, you can keep an eye on what is happening at all times and will have the evidence in the unfortunate event your items are taken. All video footage is stored in the cloud so that it is always accessible.
- Specific Box for Deliveries
You can place a specific place for packages to be stored when delivered. Here are a few options to consider:
- Large box with a lid: Even though it is not locked, having delivery drivers place packages in a covered box would prevent weather damage. It will also keep deliveries out of site to passers-by. Extra effort would need to made to know there is something available for taking. Most porch thieves looks for a visible delivery and will not risk a non-guaranteed get.
- Electric Lock Box: Purchase an electric lock box for your porch and include the code in the delivery instructions. It will have the same effect as the large box above with the extra security measure of it being locked.
The gamble with this option is that not all delivery personnel will take the time to place packages in a box, due to the volume of deliveries this time of year.
- Timely Retrieval
The less time a package is visible on your porch, the less likely it will be stolen. Likewise, if a delivery is taken into the house soon after it is dropped off, the less damage any inclement weather will have on the goods.
Having a doorbell camera will help with the ability to timely retrieve deliveries. Even when working from home, you can easily miss the delivery, especially since not all delivery drivers will ring your doorbell when dropping off.
- Garage Door Access
If you have surveillance cameras, you can utilize SEI’s garage door controls to open the garage for the delivery person, then they can place any deliveries safely in your garage.
Again, like with the lock boxes, this can take some coordination with the delivery instructions, but it can be done!
- Spoil the Delivery Person
With the lock box option and the garage door access, both of these solutions require cooperation with the delivery person. One way to encourage their participate in your safety measures is to spoil them! Make a box full of water and/or snacks for them to take when they make a delivery. Leave a note thanking them for all they do. A little kindness can go a long way – especially with the amount of deliveries they have during the holiday season.
Let us help you secure your deliveries!
Get ready for those cyber Monday deals with these tools at hand to ensure a safe delivery of your goods. Contact SEI Security today to discuss how we can ensure you have all the tools you need to secure your holiday deliveries.
