Tips on stopping the porch pirate

They’re often called porch pirates.

And they’re just as busy as those delivering packages to your front door – they’re just doing the opposite.

Nearly two-third of Americans will have packages delivered to their homes during the holiday season. Many of those packages will never be opened thanks to those porch pirates.

An estimated 11 million had their packages stolen from the front door last year.

There are simple safeguards, beyond just being home when the package comes.

“Unfortunately a lot of our bad people are looking for those packages sitting at the front doors,” La Crosse police Sgt. Tom Walsh said. “Set up an area at your house and explain to the delivery driver where you want them delivered that is out of sight.”

Walsh also suggested having packages held at places like Fed Ex and UPS and picking them up yourself or, perhaps ask a trusty neighbor to go pick up the packages or have the packages delivered to them, if they’re home during the day.