TAMPA, Fla. — It is the busiest time of the year to send and receive packages.
- Porch pirates active this time of year
- There are ways to protect yourself while awaiting your package
- Security cameras more popular protecting property and catching package thieves
- Unites States Postal Service
And unfortunately it's also the busiest time for opportunist, so-called porch pirates to steal packages right off your door step
Some people say its frustrating. Others say they rely on their neighbors to keep an eye on any deliveries.
One of the easiest ways to protect yourself is to have packages delivered to your place of work if you're not going to be home during the day.
That way you know someone will be there to receive it.
Another way to protect yourself is to use the tracking number you get from the post office or merchant.
Download the app and you can follow the journey of the package. The post office app - or Fed Ex or UPS - can send an alert when a package arrives.
"If you know you’re not going to be home you can ask a family member or trusted friend to pick it up for you," said Damien Kraebel, a US Postal Inspector.
You can also instruct Amazon to deliver your package to one of its lockers at a nearby location. Another deterrent is security cameras.
"I think they’re a lot less likely to take those packages if they know you’re gonna be recorded," Kraebel said of cameras.
Tampa Postmaster Richard Fermo has a Ring doorbell installed at his home. It alerts him when someone is on his property.
"I can hit the app and open the app and actually see the person at the door," Fermo said, demonstrating the Ring app. "Once I go live view, I can hit this and I go ‘Hello, anybody out there?' "
And even if the voice system doesn't scare away a potential package thief, at least there is video to help police catch them.
The best thing you can do to avoid being a victim is to not make yourself an easy target.