'Tis the season for deliveries, and porch piracy, but you can protect yourself
Many Canadians have packages delivered to their homes on a daily basis. Online shopping has become a popular trend, especially during the holidays. But unfortunately, so has porch piracy -- thieves stealing your packages right from your front door.
But what if that stolen package is not replaceable?
That’s what happened to Megan Greeley of London, Ont. She was expecting a package from her family in the United States. But when it arrived in the afternoon while she was at work, a couple of porch pirates snapped it up.
The theft was captured on Greeley’s doorbell camera.
“I feel very sad -- and it’s stuff that can’t be replaced,” said Greeley.
The package contained special, personalized birthday and Christmas gifts for Greeley and her partner.
“They were handmade by my sister herself, and there were crafts in there from my nephews and niece -- I haven’t seen my sister in two years, and that’s our way to stay connected,” said Greeley.
Many homeowners have installed video doorbells, and while the thefts are caught on surveillance, technology expert Marc Saltzman says they do little to actually stop the packages from being stolen
“Obviously it’s not going to stop a would-be thief in their tracks, but hopefully it will act as a deterrent -- if you see it right there -- and then of course you have video evidence of someone lifting your package."
Saltzman says there are other ways to protect your packages from being stolen.
“Consider a personal mailbox like a lockbox for your porch -- if you order a lot online and you aren’t home a lot, that’s a good idea,” adds Saltzman.
Danby, a company from Guelph, Ont., has created a product called Parcel Guard which sells for about $500.
It can keep packages secure from theft and bad weather and can notify the homeowner through an app when a package is delivered.
Greeley says she’ll consider getting a lockbox, but in the meantime she’s reported the theft to police -- and posted the video surveillance on social media, hoping someone can identify the thieves.
“I am disappointed in the members of the community -- I feel sorry that people have to resort to stealing packages off people’s porch,” said Greeley.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.