Theft of delivered packages: How to steer clear of thieves this holiday season

Christmas is just 13 days away, and many Americans across the country are doing last-minute online shopping for gifts. 

With packages they’ve ordered arriving at their homes on a regular basis, many people are experiencing missing packages — specifically stolen ones. 

Over 260 million packages have been reported stolen in the past year alone. 

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CyberGuy Kurt Knutsson joined “Fox & Friends” on Monday to discuss ways to prevent holiday packages from getting stolen this season. 

Knutsson said this is as big of a problem as he’s ever seen — and called out package thieves for stealing. 

“The Grinch is out there — this is the real-life Grinch,” he said.

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Americans across the country are reporting missing packages within minutes of these items being delivered to the front of their homes.

Knutsson said video doorbells might help those who are looking to track down a package thief. 

A video doorbell would allow homeowners to not only see which package was delivered — but also to have the ability to monitor the front of their homes when they aren’t around. 

Knutsson also recommended selecting a specific delivery date on packages when given the option. 

“Oftentimes you can choose a date for [a package] to be delivered to your house,” he said. 

“People should introduce themselves to their delivery drivers.”

This will help customers track the package, schedule the delivery for a date when they will be home — and know when the package is delivered. 

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Further, Knutsson said people should introduce themselves to their delivery drivers so that these individual know the homeowners to whom they’re delivering packages. 

“Having that relationship tells them that you live there, you’re human — and they start looking out for you,” he said. 

The CyberGuy recommended setting up delivery notification for all incoming packages as well. 

If you find yourself out of town and are worried about packages sitting unclaimed, Knutsson suggested having packages sent to an Amazon locker nearby. 

Once delivered to the locker, a notification will be sent to the homeowner — and it will include a code for pickup in a secure location. 

Lastly, Knutsson said to be aware of potential package thieves by keeping up with local neighbors and community members. 

Whether it’s through the Nextdoor App or a Facebook neighborhood group, keep an eye out for any posts about missing packages.