How to protect holiday deliveries from postal and package thieves

NORTHSTATE, Calif. – With the start of the Christmas season, letter and package thefts increase.

According to security.org, 90% of Americans are worried about vacation packages being stolen. Company officials said porch pirates stole a total of $12 billion in packages nationwide last year.

Officials with the Anderson Police Department told Northstate’s News that now is the time to be extra careful when having gifts delivered to your home.

“If it just comes from a mailbox, they just grab everything and leave,” said APD Officer Kyle Carpenter. “If it’s from a porch, they’ll be looking for packages, things that look valuable. The mentality we see is to grab everything now and sort it out later.”

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Officer Carpenter said mail and package thefts most often occur at night when there are fewer people around.

The best way to prevent your deliveries from being stolen is to bring them into the house immediately and report anything suspicious to the police. Anderson police also recommend cleaning out your car after shopping because thieves may look there for items to take.

No matter the time of year, he told KRCR, mail theft is reported daily in Anderson.