Grocery deliveries are being stolen from porches. Here’s how to keep yours safe

As the coronavirus pandemic rages on, many have turned to grocery delivery in the name of safety and social distancing.

However, porch pirates have shifted their attention from packages to groceries, swiping deliveries before their rightful owners can take them inside.

In early May, police in Asheville, North Carolina, announced they’d seen an uptick in stolen deliveries.

“APD is seeing an increase of reported package and delivery thefts across the city,” police wrote on Facebook. “With more individuals having packages and deliveries of essential goods, such as groceries, delivered to their homes, thieves have an increased opportunity to commit this crime of opportunity.”

But porch pirates aren’t the only culprits.

The Better Business Bureau has received a number of reports from people who said they never received grocery orders placed through third-party apps despite having been charged.

“The order immediately went to ‘delivered’ after the shopper began shopping,” Connie Meyers, 59, told USA Today. “And the shopper then sent an old picture of my home that was clearly pulled from the internet as proof.”

Instacart customer Lynne Emmerson said she canceled her delivery order only to get an alert that it had been marked delivered, according to the outlet. She was also charged $50 for an order that only contained Diet Coke, but it never showed up, USA Today reported.

“Suddenly, I get an email saying ‘your order was delivered and here is your receipt,’” Emmerson told the outlet. “Like, what? Nobody ever delivered anything. I even checked my security cameras.”

After disputing the charge with her bank, she ultimately got her money back, USA Today reported.

Many choose grocery delivery for safety and convenience, making stories like these especially unnerving. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to help keep thieves of all kinds at bay when having your groceries delivered.

Give specific instructions

When ordering grocery delivery, use the comment box to give specific instructions as to where you’d like the delivery person to leave your order, Asheville police said.

Indicate that you’d like your delivery left at the back door to your home, on a screened-in porch or at the leasing office if you live in an apartment building, they said.

But do think twice before asking for your groceries to be left in your garage or other areas where valuables are stored.

A 78-year-old woman in Nevada asked two men to put her grocery delivery in her garage due to health concerns, but she said they stole a $250 vacuum in the process, KTNV reported.

Make sure you’ll be home

Choose a delivery time for when you’re home, not out for a drive or a walk around the neighborhood, police said.

Watch for the delivery person through a door or window and bring in your order as soon as it’s delivered.

Can’t be home during available delivery times? Talk with a trusted neighbor or friend to see if you can have your groceries delivered there instead, Asheville police said.

Use PayPal

If using Instacart or another third-party delivery app, don’t pay with your credit or debit card, Komando suggests.

Instead, try paying through Paypal for added protection as the service is quick at resolving money issues, according to the outlet. Be sure to keep in close contact with your delivery person and write down their name in case of a dispute.

Choose items carefully

When ordering produce, choose a pre-packaged bag when possible as opposed to produce by the pound, Komando reported. This makes it more difficult for someone to nab an apple or two off the top.

Install visible cameras

Install internet-enabled security cameras outside your home to help deter thieves and record any incidents that might occur, police say.

John Perdichizzi, owner of ASAP Security in Nevada, recommends installing cameras inside your garage or anywhere you might have a delivery person leave your order, KNTV reported.

This story was originally published May 21, 2020 at 2:51 PM with the headline "Grocery deliveries are being stolen from porches. Here’s how to keep yours safe."