Porch Pirates & Other Thieves

Sarnia Lambton Crime Stoppers want to help you avoid becoming the next victim of theft.

It’s not quite the wild-west out there but there has been an alarming increase in the number of thefts from cars and front porches in the past month.

With the holiday season approaching, parked cars have become a popular target for thieves.  Cars parked in driveways, on the road and in parking lots seem to be easy pickings for thieves if the doors are left unlocked.

Online shopping may keep you safer from Covid-19 but so many parcels are being delivered to homes and left on front porches by courier services.   ‘Porch-Pirate’ is just a catchy name for a thief who steals the package from your porch.

These are crimes of opportunity.  Remove the opportunity and you will stop the crime before it happens.

Try these tips to remove the opportunity.

• Lock your car doors – even when you are pumping gas or running in for a coffee.
• Don’t leave your car running & unattended
• Put parcels and all belongings in the trunk or glovebox or other spot out of view.
• Park in a well-lit area if at all possible – even if it means you have to walk a few more steps.
• Arrange to have parcels delivered when you are home – or ask a friend or neighbour to watch for the package
• Use the ‘Track my Delivery’ option offered by most online retailers. You can sometimes receive a notification when the parcel arrives.
• Consider a purchasing a doorbell camera or similar security system and look into registering your camera with the Sarnia Police Service Camera Registry online (Sarnia residents only)

Target hardening is the first step toward preventing these thefts.  You work hard for the money to buy these items… don’t make it easy for these thieves to make off with your belongings.