The holiday season is upon us, and with it comes the risk of package theft, dubbed "porch piracy." The Franklin Police Department is using the occasion of National Package Protection Day to alert the public about the rising threat of these Grinches on the prowl. According to a report by the City of Franklin, a staggering 80% of Americans have experienced package theft during the holiday season. With SafeWise analyzing an estimated 120 million packages stolen throughout the U.S. just in 2023, the threat is very real.
In response to this issue, the Franklin Police Department has issued guidance aiming, to help residents protect their deliveries. Among their recommendations is the simple yet effective advice of collecting packages promptly upon delivery, or enlisting the help of a neighbor. They also suggest the installation of surveillance measures like doorbell cameras, which can serve as both a deterrent to would-be thieves and an investigative tool should a theft occur.
The department further advises that for high-value items, it may be prudent to have packages held at secure locations like FedEx, UPS, USPS, or Amazon lockers. In instances where home delivery is necessary, they recommend that special instructions be given to the carrier to leave packages out of plain sight, reducing the temptation for thieves passing by.
To support local residents in case of a theft, the Franklin Police Department has urged individuals to report incidents by calling (615) 794-2513. Their officers are committed to investigating such occurrences and, where possible, using provided video footage to catch the culprits.
