Here are some pointers you should know from law enforcement officers in South Jersey.
'Tis the season to be jolly, vacation and give gifts, but when traveling for the holidays, what about the arrival of those packages you've been waiting for?
With the holidays, online shopping, mailed gifts, and deliveries expected, you may not get your package if there's a "porch pirate" on the loose.
Porch pirating occurs when someone follows around delivery trucks throughout the town and watches for their targets, waiting to steal packages when no one is home, according to Pennsville Police Chief Allen J. Cummings.
Just last Wednesday, Maple Shade Police Department, in Burlington County, released video surveillance of an unidentified woman who stole a package from the front of a residence.
The person who lived there, according to authorities, was not home at the time of the theft.
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So what can you do to protect your holiday arrivals when you're busy at work or traveling?
Here are some pointers you should know from law enforcement officers in South Jersey:
Manage your delivery time
Pirates will lurk and wait to strike during normal work hours, which is the most common time period for theft, according to Cummings.
This can be avoided by setting specific delivery times when shopping online for when you will be home to retrieve packages.
If shopping and mailing to another person, there are options for tracking the delivery as well.
Harrison Township Police Department in Gloucester County also encourages buyers to use delivery alerts notifying when a package has arrived.
Pick-up your mail instead of waiting for delivery
With online purchases, an option is to go to the nearby UPS or FedEx for a "dock pick-up."
When shopping, there is often an option online in "order comments."
"You can put it in your comments that you'll pick it up," VanNamee said, adding that it's a safe alternative to assure packages are retrieved.
Or, it's also possible to arrange to have a purchase from a larger retailer delivered to a nearby store for pick up.
When possible, request the delivery company to hold your package at their closest pick-up facility until you can pick it up, Chief Cummings added.
Ask the shipper to require a confirmation signature to prevent deliveries from being left when no one is home to sign for them.
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Set up alternate drop-off sites
There are other options for delivery locations, including place of work, a family member's house, or trustworthy friend.
Police advise residents to have deliveries sent to a location they can be received in person, with permission of an employer or neighbor.
Have a trusted neighbor arrange to receive a delivery so that it is not left unattended.
Make arrangements for someone to be there so the packages are not left sitting on the doorstep all day.
Give the illusion you are home
"Make sure you have your mail and newspapers stopped or forwarded," Carneys Point Det. Sgt. Dale VanNamee said, adding that it's important to prevent mail from piling up.
When mail accumulates, it looks like no one is home and makes the house more vulnerable to pirating.
Also, provide delivery instructions so packages can be left out of sight from the yard or road when no one is home.
Have good security cameras installed on the property, as well as timed lights, advises New Jersey State Police.
Or, have a secure box that the delivery company has access too, near the back door, garage, or inside a fenced area, state police said.
Another option is a temporary P.O. box.
Police remind residents to contact the local police department if a package theft is observed.
Do not approach the suspicious person, but take down a description, tag number of vehicle and direction of travel and notify authorities.
Brittany Wehner may be reached at bwehner@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @brittanymwehner. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
