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12 Scams of Christmas: Porch Pirates

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TULSA, Okla. — Santa won't need a sleigh to deliver lots of presents this holiday season thanks to the ease of ordering online with convenient delivery directly to our porches.

However, it also makes our deliveries convenient targets for porch pirates looking to swoop in and swipe those presents and packages. According to security.org's 2022 annual package theft report almost one-in-four Oklahomans had at least one package stolen in the past 12 months.

The median value of the stolen good is $77. Nationally, the average loss is about $50.

Sonia Mookherjea said she was expecting to come home to find $250 worth of purchases delivered to her porch. Instead, she can home to see her doorbell video caught a porch pirate helping herself to the packages.

Mookherjea called it "such a violation."

She described what she saw on the video. “The first thing we see is really just her picking up the package and running back to the car, she gets back in the car, which I think is a blue Kia Sportage and then she drives away. I don't think this is her first time or her time doing this."

Americans spend billions of dollars a year on smart home technology, including, of course, doorbell cameras to help protect their homes and packages delivered to their doors. When those cameras catch thieves in the act, people are turning the video over to police in hopes they can catch the crooks and posting it on social media to help neighbors watch out for criminals targeting their neighborhood.

"I think it's important for neighbors to help each other out,” Mookherjea said. “And be aware that this is going on."

Doorbell cameras and making neighbors aware of thieves is just the start when it comes to protecting packages you are having delivered.

Other safety steps include:

  • Having neighbors or family pick up your deliveries as soon as possible if you can’t be home to take things off the porch as soon as they are delivered.
  • Having packages sent to your workplace instead of your home if deliveries are likely to happen during your work hours.
  • Having packages delivered to Amazon lockers located at a business near you.

Contact the Problem Solvers:

  • 918-748-1502
  • problemsolvers@kjrh.com

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