Delivery security: Tips to get the gifts under the tree

WASHINGTON – ‘Tis the season for for thieves to troll neighborhoods for gifts.

As the biggest gift-giving day of the year approaches, home deliveries are ramping up. But some people who spot a delivery truck could be waiting to swipe that unattended package left on your doorstep.

FedEx offers some tips to make sure your gifts make it under the tree:

  • Customize your deliveries: Try to have a packaged delivered during a certain time, if the option is available, and keep track of the tracking number.

    You could also have a package delivered to work or a neighbor’s home instead, have it held at the delivery office or even reroute or reschedule a delivery if it’s already shipped.

  • Request a signature: If you require a person to sign for a package, it guarantees that it won’t be left sitting on a doorstep.
  • Request a hold or reroute delivery: Ask the delivery service to hold packages if you know you won’t be home for a certain duration, or provide them with a new address at a secure location.
  • Leave delivery instructions: Try leaving a note for the delivery person, letting them know a safe spot for leaving a package.

WTOP’s Andrew Mollenbeck contributed to this report. Follow @MollenbeckWTOP and @WTOP on Twitter.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up