Holiday packages are arriving at homes. Unfortunately, so are porch pirates
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Now is the time when those Cyber Monday purchases start showing up at your doorstep. Unfortunately, brazen porch pirates can sometimes follow.
Adam Al-Asad and his wife, Georgianna Constantinescu, live in South Philly where they say at least 30 percent of the packages they have delivered are stolen.
"It's just part of living in South Philadelphia, unfortunately. It's something that everyone experiences, it's something I've experienced the past 10 years of living here. It's just something you deal with," says Constantinescu.
The couple has had everything from camera equipment, to a Halloween costume, even a mattress stolen!
"What are we going to do, realistically?" says Adam Al-Asad. "There's not much that we can. I'm not going to file a police report for a relatively inexpensive package - and packages that are super expensive, I'm not mailing here."
The couple sends valuable packages to their relatives who live outside of the city.
Unfortunately, not everyone has that option.
That's why Napoleon Suarez opened Fishbox Philly on the 700 block of 7th Street.
"A customer signs up for a subscription here at our location and instead of using their home address to have things delivered, they have them delivered here. Once things show up, we take a picture of the package and email the customer so they know what came and what time it arrived and they just show up whenever they are free," says Suarez.
Preventing porch pirates: UPS mailboxes, hiding spots and insurance help protect holiday packages
This is happening in the city and suburbs.
Police say this year, thieves are looking for the new iPhone and other electronics. They say to deter porch pirates, require a signature for delivery, and use motion sensor lights. They also recommend adding a camera to your front door, which for some, like Al-Asad, hasn't been successful.
"They look right into the ring camera, give it a little nod pick up the package and keep going," says Al-Asad, "There is a certain risk to the convenience of having things delivered to your house, that you just have to accept. Otherwise, send them somewhere safer. It's all part of the game, as they say."
Police also advise getting a lockbox for your front porch. It comes with a code to give delivery drivers.
