Berlin Township Police Warn Residents of Porch Pirates
As the holiday shopping season begins, police officials in Berlin are reminding those who enjoy the convenience of at-home shopping and delivery to be aware of porch package thieves. A…
As the holiday shopping season begins, police officials in Berlin are reminding those who enjoy the convenience of at-home shopping and delivery to be aware of porch package thieves.
A porch package theft was captured on surveillance in Berlin Township, New Jersey. Footage shows a suspect using a shopping cart to take a delivered package from a resident's home on Tansboro Road in the early morning hours on Wednesday, Nov. 5.
The stolen box contained medication for the recipient's mother.
The Berlin Township Police Department sent out a message early in the week of Nov. 3, alerting community members to be vigilant.
"During the holiday season, you will see, unfortunately, an influx of people entering cars, taking things from porches. Most shipping is done online," Lt. Josh Smith with Berlin Township Police shared with NBC 10 Philadelphia.
Police said you can take some precautions to prevent becoming a target:
- Install a porch surveillance camera.
- Track your packages.
- Contact your delivery courier with specific delivery instructions.
- Do not leave your package outside for too long.
The security company ADT also recommends several more intensive measures to thwart porch pirates, including using "porch pirate bags," paying for a package receiving service, having the U.S. Postal Service hold your packages at your local post office, and using a lockbox in place of a standard mailbox.
When it comes to protecting valuables in vehicles, Smith recommended keeping all packages out of sight of passers-by and securing your vehicle when you're not occupying it.
