In this day and age, many people have their letterboxes raided. Criminals often try to collect as much mail from one person as they can in order to use credit card information to make purchases fraudulently. This is why it’s recommended that every letterbox has a lock and key to prevent this from happening. It’s not just happening in the major metropolitan areas of Sydney either, this is happening unfortunately all over the country.
What do you do though if you’ve had parcel after parcel delivered, and they seem to being going missing? This can be an issue for many people. If you get a delivery and you’re not home to receive it, chances are if a signature is not required the item will be left on your doorstep unless other instructions have been left for the courier.
What to do if you suspect a neighbor or someone living nearby is stealing your parcels?
If you are suspicious of someone in your neighborhood, do not approach them. This can end in a hostile confrontation which is not what you want. Instead, inquire with a security systems or surveillance company and have them visit your home and discuss with you the different cctv systems they could install around your residence. Video cameras are the ideal way to find out what is really going on with your parcels once they’re left by a courier or other delivery service.
If you were to catch someone on video surveillance stealing your parcels, you would be able to then take the HD video footage to your local police station.
Tips for preventing parcel theft
Here are a few simple tips from preventing parcel theft:
- Have all of your parcels delivered to your workplace. That way they will always be received, and you can ensure they will arrive safely.
- When ordering online or over the phone, leave specific instructions for the delivery of your item. This could include anything from, ‘please leave parcel inside the side gate,’ to ‘please leave under my door mat if not at home.’
- Ask a trusted neighbor to look out for the delivery man around the time of delivery and collect the parcel for you.
- Always opt for the ‘signature on arrival’ requirement when it comes to your parcels. This way, if you are not at home when the parcel arrives, you will receive a note in the letter box and you will then be able to collect your parcel from your local post office within the next 5 days at your leisure.
- Have your mail sent to a post office box. If you’re finding that your mail and your parcels are frequently going missing, you may want to invest a little each month in having a post office box. This will ensure that your parcels are always sent to your post office box and are securely stored at your local Australia Post Office.
While parcel theft is a problem, thankfully there are measures you can take to ensure that moving forward, your parcels always arrive safely and intact.
