Protect yourself from package-picking porch pirates

Police officer tips, while mail carriers ask you leave your porch light on

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The holidays are often called the most wonderful time of the year. Mail carriers, though, call it the busiest time of the year -- by far. In Central Oregon, they said they face unique problems, and keeping your package safe from thieves presents a challenge of its own.

Jason Wynne of Bend is in the middle of his first holiday season as a city carrier assistant for the Bend post office. He said right now, he's working between 10 and 14 hours, every day. That's because his workload has nearly quadrupled at this time of year.

Wynne said Wednesday he loves his job, but other factors are making it more difficult.

"Honestly, the biggest challenge is it gets dark so early that it's hard to find addresses for people's homes so that way we can accurately and safely deliver the mail,” Wynne said.

Wynne said he's already had a few slips and falls on icy walkways. So, he and other carriers are asking for your help.

They said turning on your porch lights is a simple solution. That way, when they're delivering your mail as late as 10 p.m., they can find the right houses and see where they are walking.

Once the mail gets to your house, so-called porch pirates present another problem at this time of year.

Rebecca Sahadi just moved to Bend from Ohio in June. She said there were two packages delivered to her door around 6 p.m. Tuesday night.

She was home at the time, but never heard the carrier ring the doorbell.

A few hours later, she received a text from her neighbor, saying he had video of someone allegedly stealing the packages from her property.

"I felt really vulnerable,” Sahadi said. “I thought it was strange that that could happen while you're at home, that someone could be so brazen to take something off of your porch. Then I immediately felt bad for everyone else in our neighborhood, and in Bend. I just don't want anyone to have their Christmas ruined by someone taking a gift that could potentially be for children or someone else."

NewsChannel 21 asked Bend police how people can stop this from happening, or at least reduce the risk.

"Be home when the package is delivered, or have a signature that is required when they have the packages is delivered,” said Lt. Juli McConkey. “Also, lock boxes are a great way to make sure that thieves won't steal the packages from the porches."

McConkey also said installing surveillance cameras is a great security blanket. Sahadi said she's considering putting them on the front of her house.

Additionally, Sahadi said she plans on either having packages sent to designated drop off locations, or including special delivery instructions so the carriers drop off packages around the side gate of her house, rather than on the porch.

A recent poll by PEMCO Insurance shows package theft in the Pacific Northwest has actually decreased about 5% since last year.