As more and more packages are being shipped across the country and Iowa ahead of Christmas, it’s also the ideal time for thieves to become more prevalent.

Jefferson Police Chief Mark Clouse advises anyone who is expecting a package to be delivered to them to have a gameplan in place to prevent other individuals from taking those off of their porch or entryway to their home.

“Good partnership with your neighbors will help with some of that, ‘I’ve got a package coming tomorrow, can you grab it and bring it into your house, and I’ll pick it up when I get home from work?’ There’s other options, you can have that delivered directly to your work. Most places would be fine with that, I’m sure. Or another relative or something (can pick it up) just so that they aren’t laying out on your porch all day long.”    

Clouse adds another way that homeowners can better protect themselves from package thievery is installing a door ringing device that also has a motion-activated camera that notifies your phone when a package has been delivered. He says some devices will allow the homeowner to speak directly to anyone that drops by, whether they are expected or not.