The festive season can be a spending frenzy, with online shopping making it even easier to purchase Christmas gifts, new items for the home, updates to the holiday wardrobe and new year sale items. In fact, last year Australians spent around $3.29 billion[1] on online purchases in the lead-up to Christmas.

Unfortunately, thieves are also aware of the increase in online shopping deliveries during the pre-Christmas rush and can be on the lookout for packages left at the front door to yield valuable goods, so it’s worth taking steps to help minimise the risk.

One solution that allows you to monitor the home while you’re not there is ADT Interactive Security. The system enables you to have an interactive outdoor camera installed at the front door, which can send a notification to your smartphone when someone comes to the front door and allow you to view live footage or get sent a clip of the event. This means that you can check when a package is delivered and, secondly, if someone attempts to steal the package.

ADT Security also suggests the following 7 additional ways to help keep parcels safe from theft this holiday season:

  1. Track your order through the courier’s tracking websites so you know when it’s likely to be delivered
  2. If you know you can’t be at home for the delivery, ask the courier to hold the parcel at their facility until you can pick it up
  3. Request a signature confirmation so that if you’re not home to take the delivery, your package is automatically kept at the local post office for pick up
  4. Include detailed delivery instructions when you place your online order to specify a safe place on your property where the parcel can be left unattended
  5. Redirect your package to a neighbour or friend and, of course, return the favour
  6. Arrange the parcel to be delivered to your workplace, if permitted
  7. Place the ADT security sticker on your front door or window from your welcome pack to say your property is professionally monitored. Most thieves are looking for an easy target and they would prefer not to enter a property that is advertising that it has a professional monitored security system.

While not all of these solutions will be easy for everyone, it’s not very often that someone will be able to stay home all day to wait for a package to be delivered.

A combined home automation and security solution lets you keep a virtual eye on your home at all times. You can remotely arm and disarm your security system, view a live feed of your home 24/7 from anywhere in the world and send a patrol car to your property to investigate on your behalf.

Have a happy and safe holiday season by keeping your home and any deliveries safe. Contact ADT Security today to find out more.

[1]https://www.insideretail.com.au/blog/2016/01/19/aussies-spend-billions-over-christmas/