VAN ALSTYNE, Texas (KXII) – With plenty of online shopping taking place on both Black Friday and Cyber Monday, porch pirates will soon be looking to take advantage of the opportunity.

Porch piracy is a growing problem year round – just in 2023, Security.org estimates that package thieves stole more than $8 billion of merchandise.

The problem only gets worse during the holidays with nearly one in five Americans saying they’ve had a package stolen that contained a gift for someone else.

Van Alstyne Police Chief Tim Barnes said the best way to keep those packages safe is simple.

“Quite frankly, having it delivered to somewhere that’s occupied is a great idea,” Barnes said. “That way you know that package is coming off the porch.”

He said it isn’t a problem they see very often locally, but they do have a system in place to help those in need.

“We allow people to have their packages delivered to the police department address and then they can come by and get them at anytime,” Barnes said. “It’s our 8th year and it’s been successful every year.”

Outside of that, shoppers could always ask a trusted neighbor to hold their packages or have them delivered to their place of work.

Another option is to have the driver hide the delivery, or put it in a lock box. If a potential thief can’t see a package from the street, it’s much less likely they would wander onto the porch just to see if there was one.

If a thief does make it to the porch, Barnes said a doorbell or security camera can make a great deterrent.

“There’s the possibility of capturing those and and later being caught and prosecuted,” he said.

If the worst happens and you’re sure a package has been stolen, report it to your local police department immediately and contact the seller for a replacement.

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