Broken Arrow Police Seeing Rise In Stolen Packages During Holiday Season

During the holiday season, a rise in the number of package deliveries is giving thieves more opportunities to strike. 

Ethan Hutchins with the Broken Arrow Police Department says the department typically sees more than 30 package thefts each year, with incidents peaking in November and December.

Hutchins said she recommends planning ahead to manage your package deliveries, and suggests requiring a signature upon delivery, being home to greet the driver, or asking a trusted neighbor to take in your package until you return. 

You can also edit delivery instructions to tell the driver to hide your package or have it delivered to your workplace instead.

“If you’re able to keep a safe distance, having a conversation through your doorbell camera might deter them from taking the package," Hutchins said. "You could also install a spotlight, as some doorbell cameras have built-in lights that activate when someone approaches your porch, which could make them run off."

Hutchins says while he knows people want their packages, he stresses that safety should always come first. Hutchins says you should never confront or chase a porch pirate.

“We’re doing a lot of public service announcements this time of year, not just about porch thefts but also about auto burglaries," Hutchins said. "We see suspects going around neighborhoods, trying door handles or peeking inside windows to look for packages or valuable items they can steal, or checking if a car is unlocked."

Broken Arrow Police also advise getting a good description of the thief and their vehicle to report to authorities.