Experts offer tips to protect yourself against porch pirates

MOUNTAIN BROOK, Ala. (WBRC) - Mountain Brook Police are warning against porch pirates after ten packages were stolen from homeowners last week.

Mountain Brook Police said 10 packages were stolen from multiple different Birmingham addresses and were found right before the weekend on Sims Avenue in Mountain Brook. They were opened and dumped outside after being rummaged through.

Officials with the Better Business Bureau said they get calls about stolen deliveries from homeowners and business owners.

They said the best thing you can do is get a camera doorbell with a notification system, never leave boxes outside overnight, and try to be home or close to home around the time of delivery.

BBB spokesperson Garet Smitherman said you can also have it shipped somewhere else.

“Try to ship it to a store,” Smitherman said. “Depending on what retailer, ship it to the local retailer. That would potentially be a safer place to have it kept in close hands until you go pick it up from that retailer. You could have it shipped to your local post office and then pick it up from the post office. That’s another option a lot of people are taking.”

Smitherman said another option is signing up at checkout to have the package require a signature, that way delivery drivers wont leave your package on the doorstep until you sign for it.

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