Watch For Porch Pirates, Sudbury Police Warn

SUDBURY, MA — It's not even Black Friday yet, but the holiday shopping season is already upon us. That means packages will be arriving at doorsteps across the nation, and with them come the potential for package thefts.

So-called porch pirates look for packages left unattended at homes during the daytime. Despite best efforts by police, it's nearly impossible to catch every pirate. Police in Sudbury are offering tips to help locals keep gifts from being stolen.

Here are Sudbury Chief Scott Nix's tips to prevent package thefts this holiday season:

• Request notifications on your deliveries, via phone or email, to monitor your packages in transit and upon delivery. FedEx and UPS offer services to assist customers during the holidays.

• Always require a signature on your deliveries to ensure packages are never left unattended.
• Consider sending deliveries to an alternate location where someone will be able to receive them – whether that be a workplace, a neighbor or friend’s house, or a FedEx or UPS location.
• Schedule your delivery for a specific date and time that you’re expected to be home.
• Set up a vacation hold if you plan on traveling during the holidays so gifts won’t be left on the doorstep.
• Be aware of “tailgating,” which refers to people who follow delivery vehicles and steal packages after they are dropped off.
• If you find your package has been stolen, immediately report it to Sudbury Police.
• Never accept a surprise delivery where a payment is required, and never give out personal information when receiving a delivery that you purchased as it may be a scam.