Postal inspectors warn of package thefts with surge of online holiday shopping

When Darla Lawson of Puyallup saw this man swipe the package off her porch, she couldn’t believe it.

“Both my husband and I were immediately just devastated that oh anything else, just not something for Bradley being taken,” Lawson said.

It was a toy for her 7-year-old son, Bradley, who is fighting cancer.

Unfortunately, Postal Inspector John Wiegan is bracing for more of these package thefts as the holidays get into full swing.

“It’s truly a crime of opportunity,” Wiegan said.

Shoppers are expected to shop from the comfort of their own homes in record numbers on Cyber Monday. Over the years, more people have been shopping online for the holidays. And this year - online shopping is getting an ever bigger boost because of the pandemic.

The key, Wiegan said, is taking the temptation away

“If that package isn’t sitting out on your porch, there’s no way for that person to steal your pkg. The sooner you can get it off, the less time it can be there,” Wiegan added.

If you have a surveillance camera, Wiegan also suggests making sure you position it so you can see people’s faces at your front door. And to make sure you know how to download the video.

In addition to educating people about how to not become a victim, Postal Inspectors will also try to nab thieves.

“We are proactively working, especially during the holiday season, to deter and catch these thieves in the act of truly stealing a package,” Wiegan explained.

If that’s not enough to stop a potential porch pirate, mom Darla Lawson just wants folks to think about what may be inside that package. Because of her son’s compromised immune system, package deliveries are their lifeline.

“It could be something very important to someone’s life,” Lawson said.

Cox Media Group