PLAINFIELD, Ind. — Christmas, the season of giving, is also the season of taking.
The expected record number of holiday gifts being shipped this year is creating a golden opportunity for porch thefts.
While local homeowners were out of town, a thief helped himself to a package on their front porch. He stole something much more valuable than some inexpensive things McKenna Shutes bought online.
"Kinda your feeling of being safe," Shutes said. "You could be sleeping or hanging out in your house and someone feels like they can step up on your front porch. It just kinda gives you a chilling feeling."
It's something more people are likely to feel this year.
By choice or necessity, record numbers of people are shopping online or shipping presents this holiday season. The pandemic is creating a potential gold mine for thieving porch pirates.
"So law enforcement, we have to adapt," Plainfield Deputy Police Chief Joseph Aldridge said. "It is more important this year than ever before for us to be patrolling the neighborhoods of Plainfield to ensure that our consumers don't get victimized."
Additional holiday patrols have already started. Officers who typically don't work the streets are now required to spend at least an hour of their work day patrolling neighborhoods looking for suspicious activity.
Since the program began two years ago, Aldridge said there's been a dramatic decrease in the number of reported porch thefts.
"Last year we had two. One was solved. That is amazing in a community of 30,0 to 40,000 residents," Aldridge said.
Not every community can afford additional police patrols.
Shutes is already being more careful.
"If it is going to be delivered when I'm not home, I'll just maybe hold off until I know I will be here," Shutes said.
There are other ways to protect your holiday deliveries.
Schedule deliveries to arrive when someone is home. Have alerts sent to your phone. Ask a neighbor to pick up your package if you won't be home or if possible use a delivery "drop off" box.