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Americans spent a total of 22.6 billion minutes on Amazon’s shopping platforms in December 2017 and the shopping giant reported $60.45 billion in the last quarter of 2017 in sales. As a result, thieves may be on the hunt to steal holiday packages.
Texas has the highest incidence of holiday package theft, with three metro areas making the list: Austin, Houston, and Dallas-Fort Worth. Austin, ranked top overall in expected holiday porch heists nation-wide for 2017.
Cities most likely to get a package stolen during the holidays
- Austin
- Salk Lake City
- Miami-Ft. Lauderdale
- Atlanta
- Raleigh-Durham
- Seattle-Tacoma
- Houston
- Dallas-Ft. Worth
- Tampa-St. Petersburg
- Boston
*Report from www.safewise.com
State Farm claims data also shows that Texas came in as the 2nd state in the country for home owner theft data in 2017.
Top 5 States for State Farm Theft Claims in 2017
- California – 11,477 reported claims
- Texas – 5,831 reported claims
- Illinois – 5,023 reported claims
- Georgia – 4,050 reported claims
- Ohio – 3,013 reported claims
*State Farm claim data from 2017
With the busiest shopping season of the year ready to drop, State Farm wanted to gather some tips to help keep those packages safe from porch pirates.
• Ask your neighbor for a helping hand. Ask a trusted neighbor to stop by to pick up your packages, especially if you are away from home at the time of delivery.
• Secure your house key. Your key may be better off with a trusted neighbor than under the welcome mat or a plastic rock.
• Trim trees and shrubs near the house. Keep shrubbery cut neat so the interior of your home is visible and burglars can’t hide undetected.
• Install a home monitoring device. Home security systems not only deter criminals, but also can qualify you for a discount on your homeowner’s insurance.
• If ordering from Amazon, schedule a delivery at a nearby locker. This provides a safe, self-service option for picking up packages. Remember that you only have three days to grab your goodies!
• Join a neighborhood watch group. If your block has a neighborhood watch group, consider signing up. The more friendly eyes that are watching your home, the better.
