KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Shiver me timbers! With the holiday season upon us, porch pirates are looking to steal lots of precious cargo left on your front steps.
Thankfully, it appears delivery thefts are on the decline this year. According to the Knoxville Police Department, porch pirates haven't been quite as active as in years past.
In 2021, there were a total of 17 reported package thefts in Knoxville from Nov. 14 to Dec. 11. This year, there have been a total of 8 in the same time period.
But if you are thinking of leaving your deliveries unattended for hours on end this holiday season -- avast! That would be a terrible idea.
Here are some tips to protect the goods:
- Ask a neighbor to pick up your delivery when it arrives if you can't get to it.
- Consider having your orders delivered to your workplace or a designated storage locker. Companies like Amazon often recommend using a pickup locker around this time of year.
- Install security cameras that are visible in the location where your deliveries arrive
- Ask for a signature upon delivery. You typically have to contact the shipping company to ensure this happens.
- Make sure to sign up for delivery updates and alerts.
- Don't schedule deliveries at times when you know you will be away from home for a long period of time.