Porch pirates: Best ways to protect your packages

CHICAGO (WLS) - Porch pirates are striking at an alarming rate.

And with Black Friday and the holiday package season almost upon us, there are ways you can stop them in their tracks.

Porch pirates are criminals who steal packages left on porches and other entrances.

The consumer experts at Value Penguin conducted a new Porch Pirates study that shows 41% of Americans had a package stolen. That's up from 35% in 2022.

Video and cameras are still the biggest deterrent according to the study but you can also set up tracking notifications.

These are especially important if you live in a single-family home where packages are dropped off in front of your door.

Notifications will help you monitor delivery times so you get your packages off your porch as soon as possible.

You can also have your packages sent to a safe, secure pick-up location through the vendor.