The Midland Police Department (MPD) is alerting residents to be vigilant against porch pirates during the holiday season.
A November 26 Facebook post from MPD indicates that as online shopping activity rises, so does the risk of package theft. Authorities urge the public to ensure their deliveries are safe and secure to prevent any unwanted surprises.
The post also provides a list of tips to help prevent package thefts. Citizens are encouraged to use package tracking to know when deliveries are expected, have packages delivered to a secured location, consider using a package delivery service that requires a signature, install security cameras or motion-activated lights, and have a neighbor or friend pick up packages if no one will be home.
According to SafeWise, more than 90 million incidents of package theft occurred in 2023, with the United States experiencing 261,000 incidents daily. These incidents have resulted in an estimated loss of $16 billion last year.