You’ve been waiting restlessly for the arrival of your package that you ordered online. The excitement shows on your face wherever you go. But what if this highly important package doesn’t reach you?
Your fear is justified. Because as it turns out, your package vanished right from your doorstep, under your very nose, and you don’t even get a whiff of it. You assume that perhaps the delivery got delayed, but no. Thieves got the better of you, and have been for quite some time now.
Enough is enough! It’s time you showed them who’s boss by protecting your package with some hardcore shields. Read the following tips, and make sure nothing gets stolen ever AGAIN!
Neighbors to the Rescue
The major reason why you don’t ever get your package is because when it arrives on your front doorstep, you’re not home, and it sits there like an open invitation for a thief. What you can do is enlist the help of your next-door neighbors so they can receive the package on your behalf, ultimately preventing the theft.
Direct Delivery to Your Workplace
If you don’t trust your neighbors, or you don’t want to put them through the trouble, you can direct the delivery to your office, where you can receive it yourself.
Direct Delivery to a Nearby Store
If your job requires you to travel a lot, and you’re not at the office or at home most of the time, then you can give the address of a nearby commercial store, like a Walmart, and get the package delivered there. You can pick it up later. Amazon lockers work this way. Only you can open your assigned locker with a unique combination.
Direct Delivery to a Buddy’s House
If you have a relative who lives nearby, or a friend who is home most of the time and has no reservations about receiving your packages, you can ask for their help. It’s way better than leaving the package on your porch, exposed and vulnerable.
Install a Smart Guard
We all know how technology is progressing by leaps and bounds, and new innovations are being introduced as we speak. You can make use of one such gadget, Package Guard. It looks like a small frisbee, which is supposed to be attached near your front door. Once the package arrives and is gently placed on it, it sends out a notification straight to your mobile. If somehow the package gets lifted by someone other than you and the pressure is changed, another alert is instantly sent to you, so you can catch the culprit in their tracks.
Affix Outdoor Security Cameras
Just because you’re not home, it doesn’t mean that you can’t keep an eye out for potential thieves. With the help of advanced home security cameras like the Vivint doorbell camera, you can step up your surveillance game, watch the live feed 24/7 on your smartphone, and effectively deter the burglars as well.
Make Use of a BoxLock
There is a special storage container, called a Boxlock, which works on the principle of a traditional mailbox, and is fastened near your front door. It has a smart lock, which can only be opened if its scanner reads a special code embedded in the package covering. Avoid leaving your package out in the open by making use of this box.
Trace Delivery Progress
Another way to prevent this type of theft is by attentively tracking the delivery progress on your smartphone. By doing this, you can be sure exactly when the package is shipped, and when it’ll reach your front steps. Knowing this information, you can reschedule everything else, be home at that time, and receive the package in your hands.
Make Mandatory the Delivery Signature
Delivery guys usually ring the bell, and if after several attempts no one answers, they leave the package on the porch and leave. It’s understandable because they have a lot on their hands, but it seems to be a highly attractive opportunity for thieves too. What you can do is make the final signature on the receipt mandatory. This way, they’ll have to wait for you until you answer the door and sign the papers, and no thief will dare come in sight of your house.
Request for a Less Conspicuous Drop
If you’re gone for a long time, you can request the delivery personnel to drop the package at your house, but in a less conspicuous spot, like behind the bush or beside the porch chairs. This is how the package will remain hidden, and out of the direct sight of opportunists.
With the aforementioned tips, you can protect your home delivery packages from being lifted by sly thieves.