Do criminals steal packages left at your front door? You bet they do!

So, you order some gifts from an online retailer. You track the package from your smartphone and on your way home you get an alert telling you the package has been delivered. You get home, check the front porch and nothing is there. You wonder if it was really delivered? Did they drop of your package with a neighbor?

It was delivered and no, your neighbor does not have it.

It was stolen.

This is not something new, but it appears the numbers are up because we are buying more things online. You can watch these videos of surveillance cameras all day, but to save you some time, check out some examples at; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWNnNOwENTo

and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKkBFNiz4UQ.

There are a few things you can do to reduce your chances of becoming a victim.

1) Have the delivery require a signature. 

2) Make sure you are home when the package is delivered.

3) Have it delivered to a neighbor (make sure they are going to be home).

4) Have it delivered to your place of business (check with your boss first).

5) Get a surveillance camera, point it at the front door, record your local thug stealing your package and put it on YouTube so we can all watch it.

Officer Larry Jacobs is the Crime Prevention Officer for the Sandy Springs Police Department. He can be reached at ljacobs@sandyspringsga.gov.