Argh! Tips and tricks to avoid falling victim to porch pirates this season

Scammers aren’t the only people on Santa’s naughty list this year.

Not unlike the peg-legged, eye-patch-wearing pirates who scour the seas for goods to steal, porch pirates move along land in search of unattended packages on your doorsteps.

With this week being arguably one of the busiest for online purchases being delivered, it’s a gold mine for porch pirates.

Keep an eye on those porches

A new FedEx Express Canada report has found that 69 per cent of online shoppers in Alberta are at least “somewhat worried” about package theft.

Another 44 per cent had one or more packages stolen in the past year.

While there aren’t any figures available for how many people have been victimized this season, FedEx does know what day homeowners should be most vigilant—and it’s today.

“Mondays are the busiest as the online purchases from the weekend hit our network,” FedEx said in a press release.

Calgary police officials are sharing several tips and tricks to try to avoid this type of crime, not just during the busy holiday season, but year-round.

Tips and tricks to help avoid becoming a victim

For homeowners in residential areas, police officials recommend installing security cameras or doorbell cameras.

Another great deterrent is to be familiar with your surroundings.

“Get to know delivery people and let them know your delivery preferences, so they can put the package somewhere less visible,” police said in an emailed statement.

“Also get to know your neighbours and work with them to keep an eye on each other’s homes, or arrange for them to accept your packages at their address.”

It is also important to take advantage of certain services offered to safeguard your packages and prevent theft, including tracking your order.

“Consider using devices or apps offered by the delivery company to help with secure delivery, and require a signature for delivery.”

Officials say another option is to have your packages delivered directly to a post office.