Here Are The Tips You Need To Keep Your Holiday Packages From Going Missing
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – More than 1.5 million packages are delivered to New York City daily.
A new study finds an estimated 90,000 of those go missing.
So how to you prevent this delivery dilemma?
"People should think about, what if someone took your stuff? You don't know what's in those packages, it could be something that a person cannot replace," Hell's Kitchen resident Tanajah Good said.
Many New Yorkers CBS2 spoke with say they take additional measures to make sure their packages stay safe.
"I would track my package, I would be on the lookout, even have neighbors looking out," Good added.
Here's what police recommend:
- Have your package delivered to work or to a friend or relative that will be home.
- Request the post office hold it for pick up.
- Get it shipped to a store, bodega, or Amazon locker.
- Require a signature on delivery.
Hell's Kitchen resident Paul Bartoloni does all the above. He says if he sees a package sitting in his building's hallway for more than a day, he'll text his neighbors and bring it inside for safe-keeping.
"Within our building it's a nice group, it's very honest, that's not what I'm suspicious of, it's that the front door doesn't lock so anybody passing by, if they see the door is slightly ajar they could come in and take the package," Bartoloni said.
Gabriel Cepeda is one of many New Yorkers who's fallen victim to a package theft. He created a start-up called Pickups Technologies – an app with a network of neighbors available to receive packages at any time of day.
"We have a growing market of freelancers, retirees, veterans that are home during the day… that can use this as a way to monetize their time at home and be a great neighbor and avoid packages being left in hallways and lobbies," the 23 year-old said.
The charge is $6 for a package to be dropped off to a nearby address, then a pick-it-up time can be arranged. Police say this isn't just a holiday time issue, you need to be vigilant all year long.
Right now, the app only serves Williamsburg in Brooklyn, but is looking to expand.
