These gadgets will help you keep an eye on your porch, even when you aren't home.
Megan Wollerton Senior Writer/Editor
Megan Wollerton covers renewable energy, climate change and other environmental topics for CNET. Before starting at CNET in 2013, she wrote for NBC Universal's DVICE (now SYFY). Megan has a master's degree from the University of Louisville and a bachelor's degree from Connecticut College, both in international relations. She is a board member of the Louisville chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. When Megan isn't writing, she's planning far-flung adventures.
Expertise Science, Home Credentials Society of Professional Journalists 2022 Louisville Metro Journalism Award for Feature Writing, Society of Professional Journalists 2022 Ohio Journalism Award for Science Writing
David Priest Editor
David Priest is an award-winning writer and editor who covers home security for CNET. When he isn't waving his hands wildly in front of motion sensors or making faces at video doorbells, he spends his time playing board games and video games with his wife and family.
Don't let your holiday deliveries get stolen by porch pirates.
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We're in prime holiday shopping season, which means one thing: tons of packages arriving on your doorstep. That also makes it a popular time for porch pirates to swipe unprotected packages and head off with your gifts.
This year, 64% of people say they plan to do all or most of their holiday shopping online, according to a recent survey. The same survey found that 26% of Americans have had a package stolen from their doorstep. Many of these thefts are not reported to law enforcement, according to the US Postal Inspection Service.
Fortunately, there are several smart home devices on that market that allow you to monitor deliveries from your phone. Read on to find out what products and services will help you keep a virtual eye on your holiday packages, no matter where you are.
Connected buzzers work in much the same way as traditional security cameras. The hardwired Arlo Video Doorbell has high-definition resolution, a live video feed, motion alerts and more -- for a super reasonable price. Subscribe to the Arlo Smart cloud service for access to advanced motion alerts that differentiate between people, animals, cars and packages. You can also look back at your video footage with Arlo Smart to help neighbors and law enforcement (if necessary) identify who snagged your holiday deliveries.
The Arlo Video Doorbell is our current top pick in the category. Check out all of the best best video doorbells.
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The Arlo Pro 4 is smart and feature-rich, with 2K video resolution, a built-in spotlight for night-time deterrence, a surprisingly loud siren and all the smarts of the company's video doorbell. With a subscription, you can look back at recorded events, get alerts and use two-way talk to scare off would-be porch pirates.
It's our top pick in the outdoor security camera category. Check out all of our tested best home security camera picks.
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Integrated porch light-security cameras are an emerging smart home security category. The Ring Spotlight Cam (pictured), the Netatmo Outdoor Security Camera and the Ring Floodlight Cam all combine smart lighting with smart video monitoring. With each of these devices, you can watch a live video feed, receive motion alerts and talk to people via two-way audio intercoms. But you can also program the lights to turn on and off at set times.
The Spotlight Cam even has a 110-decibel siren, so you can scare someone away when needed.
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Amazon Prime members have another option to keep an eye on their packages. Instead of monitoring traditional outdoor deliveries with outdoor cameras, the Amazon Key service allows Amazon to deliver packages inside your home. This service is available in select areas in the US. Check this list of cities to see if the Key service is available where you live. The Amazon Key In-Home Kit is required to enable the Key service. It includes one Key-enabled Amazon Cloud Cam indoor security camera and one Amazon-approved third-party smart lock. With this kit, you can receive alerts when a courier arrives and watch them deliver the package inside your home.
In addition to outdoor cameras and in-home delivery services, select companies offer smart locks and storage options for your packages. One such company is BoxLock. Its product, also called BoxLock, is a smart padlock that works with a related BoxLock app.
Here's how it's supposed to work: A BoxLock delivery partner uses the lock to scan the package barcode. The lock unlocks and they secure your delivery inside a storage container (sold separately) until you can get home and retrieve your package. UPS, FedEx, Amazon Prime and USPS are BoxLock partners.
Amazon also offers a Locker program in select areas. You have to travel to an Amazon Locker location, but these kiosks let you pick up Amazon packages on your own schedule with a six-digit code (rather than worrying about something sitting on your front porch).
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Ring has a device specifically for tracking when people are opening your mailbox, which makes tracking deliveries a lot easier. But if you have a home security system at home, another easy way of monitoring your mailbox is using a door/window sensor -- one of those magnetic gadgets that pings the system when an entryway is opened -- inside the door of your box. Either way you do it, you should be able to track the delivery of small parcels -- and make sure you know when someone's opening the mailbox who shouldn't be.
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Other options for stopping porch pirates
If none of the above tech options appeal to you, don't fret. You can require a signature for your delivery so packages aren't ever left outside when no one's home. You can also have your packages shipped to your office or somewhere else where you're guaranteed to be during the day.
For more, check out practical tips for stopping package theft, and how to improve your home's security now.
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