Here Are Some Tips To Protect Yourself From ‘Porch Pirates’
What is a "porch pirate?" It's a person who steals newly delivered packages from other people's porches.
For porch pirates, stealing packages is a crime of opportunity.
While online ordering is on the rise, so is package theft.
What can you do to protect your deliveries from ‘porch pirates'?
The New York State Sheriff’s Association is offering the following tips:
- Always utilize package tracking to know when your package is out for delivery.
- Request a signature upon delivery whenever possible. If you are not home to sign your package, a service like UPS My Choice allows you to automatically redirect your delivery to a trusted neighbor’s address. Or simply ask a neighbor to keep an eye out for your package.
- Take advantage of technology by installing a video doorbell or security camera to capture a thief.
- Invest in a porch lockbox or mailbox sensor. Other similar solutions include a porch pirate bag to lock to your front door or a package stand that will activate a loud alarm if the package or the stand is moved.
- Amazon, FedEx, UPS, and USPS offer lockers and post office boxes to keep your packages secure until you pick them up. Some of these services are free.
- Amazon also offers the Amazon Key app, allowing you to unlock your door remotely while your package is delivered inside, all while you watch the delivery live through a security camera.
Americans have lost about $5.4 billion from package theft over the past 12 months courtesy of porch pirates.
Can You Name These Utica Landmarks From An Aerial View?
With the help of Google Maps, we can see historic buildings from space.
This is a fun way to see if you can spot Mohawk Valley, Utica-specific landmarks.
Check out each photo below and try to see if you can get all these locations right on the first try. Let us know how you did in our station app. Good luck!
Trunk Or Treat At These Marvelous Events Around The Utica and Rome Area
If you're looking for some good old fashioned Halloween fun for you and the family, you should try Trunk or Treat events.
For those that don't know, trunk-or-treating events are a safer, less-spooky alternative to traditional trick-or-treating. When you show up to one of these events, members of the organization decorate the trunks of their vehicles in Halloween-themed decorations and pass out candy to the children in a safe area.
There are plenty of these events happening across the Utica, Rome, and Syracuse areas even. Here's a look at a listing, and if we missed any, text us on our app to add them to this list: