Tips to keep your goods from being stolen this holiday season

DOWNTOWN Charleston, South Carolina – What should have been a joyous holiday delivery has become an increasing crime trend, with many residents returning home or waking up to find their goods stolen.

As the holiday shopping season approaches, so does the potential of porch pirate, and one Lowcountry home experienced this in the middle of the night when they awoke to a ring video of their gift being stolen.

“When I went to leave for work, I noticed that the package was gone,” explained resident Kaitlyn Selbach.

Selbach’s Ring doorbell video captured the moment her overnight delivery on her front doorstep was stolen on Thanksgiving.

“I woke up on Thanksgiving Day, and I saw that I had a package delivery from Amazon,” Selbach told me. “It showed the package being delivered at 6:06 am, and not even six minutes later, the package was taken by some guy wearing a hoodie and a mask.”

The Ring Doorbell video captured the robber moving rapidly, seizing the item in seconds before vanishing into the night.

According to Vivint, a residential security firm, 39% of 1,000 Americans surveyed reported experiencing parcel theft during the holiday season. Especially on Black Friday.

“I feel like people know that right now it’s the time for online shopping,” according to Selbach. “There are plenty of Amazon gifts for Black Friday and Christmas shopping. So I think it’s crazy that we wake up on Thanksgiving and our packages have been stolen.”

According to the Charleston Police Department, to help prevent package theft, you should track your delivery, know when and where it will be dropped off, have functional security surveillance, and have it delivered in a hidden area.

An incident report was made with the CPD. “I went through the Ring neighborhood group chat, and there are so many complaints about people getting their packages stolen in downtown Charleston,” Selbach told me.

The Charleston Police Department stated, “One of the best ways to combat it is neighbors looking out for neighbors, using Ring cameras, and closely tracking your deliveries.”

SOURCE