LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — It’s like Black Friday in July. The highly anticipated Amazon Prime Day is this coming Monday and actually extends into Tuesday. But Contact 13 is reminding you while you're waiting for that special delivery, so will those dreaded porch pirates.
"There's always great deals on electronics and around Prime Day, there's a lot of discounts," says loyal Amazon shopper Keith Pennant.
He says he plans on checking out the upcoming deals.
"I'm mostly looking at electronics, like security cameras," says Keith.
And it's security cameras that are helping us see a very dark side to package deliveries. Thieves known as porch pirates, putting their sticky fingers on your purchases. So what can you do to protect yourself?
Be Home:
"First in for most, try to have something delivered when you know you're going to be home," says Henderson Police Officer Rod Pena.
Ask for Help:
He says if you can't be home, then ask for help.
"Whether it's a family member, a neighbor you can go ahead and say, would it be okay if I had a package delivered to your residence?" says Officer Pena.
A lot of people are using the neighborhood social network, Nextdoor. It's a great way to find a neighbor willing to pick up your package.
Amazon Key:
There's also Amazon Key: A service that gives drivers access to your home or car. The other option is an Amazon locker. These locations allow you to pick up and return your packages.
Track Delivery:
"The other thing you can do is, there's obviously tracking applications," says Officer Pena.
Amazon lets you view your package delivery in real time. Plus, you can get a photo confirming your delivery. That's what Keith likes to do.
"If I've ordered something expensive I'd just keep track of it. See the process and what stops they need to make so I know it'll be there on time," says Keith.
File Police Report:
If you're a victim, Officer Pena says it's important to file a police report.
"Absolutely, if somebody has something stolen, they should go ahead and call us," says Officer Pena.
