Two-hundred sixty million packages were snatched from porches across the nation last year. That’s according to a recent survey done by Safewise. The total in theft came out to $19.5 billion. Safewise recommends you set up text alerts for deliveries, have neighbors you trust to pick up your package, or schedule deliveries when you will be home. If none of these recommendations work for you, it’s time to upgrade your smart home devices.
Last-minute packages are arriving ahead of the holiday, and as you run errands and wrap the work week ahead of the holidays, your packages are available for porch pirates. Lucky for you, multiple smart home devices can now be used as an aid. CNET is highlighting the best gadgets to buy.
The first gadget that has become more of a necessity is smart video doorbells. The product review site chooses the hardwired Arlo Video Doorbell camera. The Arlo camera has high-definition resolution, a live video feed, and motion alerts. It is helpful when trying to give a clear picture to neighbors and police when trying to identify a thief. CNET also recommends the Arlo Pro 4, which comes with a siren and the Ring Spotlight Cam.
The next tech item is smart padlocks and package storage. The company BoxLock works with its partners to secure your packages. Here’s how it works. The Boxlock partner uses the lock to scan the package barcode. Next, the lock unlocks and they secure your delivery inside a storage container until you get home. UPS, FedEx, Amazon Prime, and USPS are all BoxLock partners.
The last option is installing mailbox sensors. Ring has a sensor designed for tracking when people are opening your mailbox. You can also a door or window sensor to ping your home security system when you mailbox is open.
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