Tis the season for online gift shopping and Airdrie RCMP are reminding people to be on the lookout for “porch pirates”.

As the holidays approach, police tend to see an increase in parcel thefts due to an increase in online shopping. Packages are left unattended, making easy bait for package thieves. Following Black Friday and Cyber Monday, many of us have done a lot of online shopping, especially during the pandemic we are in. Those packages will soon be arriving at our front door and if you want to make sure it ends up in your hands, instead of someone else's, the Airdrie RCMP has a few tips on how to avoid being a victim of theft from porch pirates. Airdrie had one "odd" theft in November where a thief ended up returning a package they stole when they realized there were gifts inside for a child. A happy ending but for most thefts, happy endings are not the usual outcome. 

Here are some tips to avoid being the victim of theft says, Corporal Gina Slaney "Keep track of your packages online. Check them daily to see where they are in the delivery process. Get an estimate of when your package should arrive and arrange to be home or have a friend or neighbour be home to pick it up for you. You can install security cameras and post signs that you do have cameras on the property. Sign up for online accounts with Canada Post or a third-party location that can accept packages on your behalf."

While RCMP analysts keep track of the areas calls are coming in from and track trends, For the most part, RCMP say package thefts are random. If you become a victim of a porch pirate or witness a porch theft, contact Airdrie RCMP at 403-945-7200 or if you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the "P3 Tips" app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store.

 

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