TYLER, Texas — The holidays are here, and many shoppers are doing their Christmas shopping online — it’s convenient, but it means thieves want your gifts as well.
According to C+R Research, 43% of Americans were victims of package theft in 2020 — that’s 7% higher than in 2019.
The Tyler Police Department says they see a slight uptick in package theft during this time of year.
"They're criminals of opportunity, you don't know where they're going to strike,” said Andy Erbaugh, public information officer for the Tyler Police Department. “They all go through a whole neighborhood. So the more that that neighborhood protects itself, the less likely that they'll be in your neighborhood.
Here are a few simple tips to follow to keep your packages from being stolen.
Leave specific delivery instructions
Ship your package to work
Form a buddy system with your neighbor
Request a signature
If all else fails install security cameras
There are also locally owned shipping companies like Ship-A-Latte that help customers with shipping and delivery in a timely manner.
They also provide services like Amazon Hub point and work with truck delivery companies like UPS and FedEx.
“We are a family-owned and operated company. We just knew there was a need for us. And so in this location, we decided to make it easy for everybody to get that same service,” said Morgan Stutts, Work Supervisor for Ship A-Latte.
They also provide a little extra security to ensure your package is safe once it’s delivered and shipped off.
“Our facility is able to receive packages and keep them in a cool environment. So you're not worried about heat exposure, you're not worried about porch pirates while you're gone during the day,” said Stutts.