Home security has previously been about deterring intruders from entering your home through security alarm systems and other forms of home security, but what do you do when the threat to your belongings shows up on your front door step and disappears just as quickly?
With more of us opting for the convenience of online shopping, particularly during the Christmas period, many homes that previously may have been uninteresting to thieves have suddenly popped up on the radar.
At Castle Security, we have put together our top tips to deter porch hunters and protect your valuables, using our range of high-quality home security systems.
The Rise of Porch Hunters
Our love for online shopping has led to more and more goods being left on our front door steps – ready for us to open as soon as we get home.
Unfortunately, our long workdays, teamed with often-valuable products delivered by couriers and left on our doorstep for hours at a time, has created the perfect environment for opportunistic thieves, dubbed Porch Hunters or Porch Pirates.
As the name suggests, these thieves target packages left on front doorsteps, porches and patios; they sometimes follow couriers and delivery drivers to their destinations, ready to pounce on any parcel left unattended.
Short of being home to collect any delivered parcels, how can you deter porch hunters and defend your home against their tactics?
Monitor Your Front Door
One way to keep an eye on your front doorstep, online deliveries and any potential thieves is with a wireless security camera.
Thanks to the advancement of technology, security cameras can now provide remote viewing of your home via a phone app, allowing you to check in on your home when you think a delivery is about to arrive.
Using a wireless security camera is a deterrent to thieves, as it captures them in the act, often catching a glimpse of their face or even their car number plate, which can be used as evidence to convict them of the theft.
The main benefit of wireless security cameras is their ease of use. Once Castle Security set up the wireless cameras at your home, you can access each camera 24/7 from your mobile, allowing you to check up on your home while you’re at work, on holidays or just out and about.
Smart Home Systems
Turning your home into a smart home is one way to improve your overall home security.
Home security products such as video doorbells, Aeotec Z-Wave LED light bulbs, indoor Wi-Fi cameras and keyless digital deadbolts are all valuable assets to your home security, allowing you to control how you and your family access and use your home while protecting you from intruders and thieves.
Security Stickers
One deterrent to opportunistic thieves may be as simple as a security sticker in your window to advise that CCTV monitors your home. Many porch hunters are opportunists, rather than “professional burglars” and funnily enough, stealing your latest book delivery or clothes might not be enough for them to risk their face being caught on camera.
Stop the Porch Hunters Today
With the rising popularity of online shopping and home delivery, it is unlikely that porch hunters will get sick of their craft any time soon. With that in mind, we recommend that all homeowners contact Castle Security to step up their home security system.
Deter porch hunters or stop them in their tracks with one of the many solutions we can provide at Castle Security – WA’s trusted name in home security systems.
Contact us today to find out how we can help you improve your home security system and put off those opportunistic thieves.