More than 25.9 million Americans (8%) have had a holiday package stolen from their front porch or doorstep,according to a 2017 report from InsuranceQuotes. A package sitting in front of a house or inside an apartment building is an easy and tempting target for theft. So, what can consumers do to protect themselves from porch thieves while they’re away and traveling over the holiday?
A recent PCMag survey found that 60% of people travel over the holidays, and some of their top concerns include package theft, theft or break ins, and their pets’ safety. But luckily, with technology breakthroughs in the smart home security world – consumers can protect their homes with greater peace of mind throughout the holiday season. Our survey revealed that 25% of Americans worry about package theft from property over the holidays.
PCMag asked consumers what they’re most afraid of when travelling for the holidays:
- Theft or break-ins – 30%
- Your pet’s safety – 22%
- Electrical fire hazard – 15%
- Forgetting to lock the door – 10%
- Forgetting to turn off an appliance – 10%
- Water damage – 10%
Fortunately, the proliferation of smart home devices means you can now monitor deliveries without actually being home. There are dozens of smart home security devices that can combat a host of consumers’ concerns, with products like smart doorbells, video cameras, leak and CO2 detectors, smart thermostats and more.
Additional survey highlights:
- 1 in 4 concerned with package theft from property
- Average respondent gone for at least 2.6 days for the holidays
- 11% have had a package stolen from property
- 25% of respondents have had expensive items like a laptop or a smartphone delivered to their home.
