BRAZOS COUNTY, Texas — The holiday season brings tons of online shoppers. This also means porch pirates aren't far behind.
Local law enforcement and impacted community members are providing insight on keeping your property safe this holiday season.
Whether it's Cyber Monday or Christmas shopping, packages are on the way and so are those porch pirates.
Walker Diggins learned the hard way after ordering a few packages, he was alerted they were delivered. But he came home to nothing.
”I got the ringer, the doorbell system which I have now and haven’t had any issues since then,” said Diggins, resident of Bryan.
Things had been going well, until recently.
”We did have one person come to the door a couple of weeks ago, but I didn’t have any packages or anything. So, I don’t really know what he was looking for or what he was doing, but it updates on my phone so at least I know when somebody is on my front porch,” said Diggins.
Diggins finds the ring system helpful but he also takes extra precautions when ordering online.
“I ask if they can deliver in certain hours when I'm actually home because I prefer to have them drop off the package and be able to immediately grab it off the porch,” said Diggins.
Although he's encountered his own porch pirates, Diggins says he feels safe in his community.
Local law enforcement encourages the community to be the eyes and ears for things like this.
”What we always say in College Station, is if you see something, say something. Don’t be afraid to contact us and like I said timely information is so important we’re able to act and get in an area and find things so much better when people call us as somethings occurring,” said College Station Sgt. Stuart Lyda.
Something Lyda also recommends is something he practices personally.
“The thing that I do is get notifications when packages have been delivered that way in case, I didn’t hear the doorbell or hear the knock. I generally have my phone near me and get the notification,” said Lyda.
So, let's cover the bases!
Removing it off the porch with the help of notifications, utilizing video camera doorbells, and helping your neighbor by reporting any suspicious activity; these are all ways to keep your property safe this holiday season.
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