VIDEO: Watch out, porch pirates can plunder your Christmas cargo

With Christmas around the corner, thousands of shoppers are taking delivery of online gift purchases. But some aren’t.

“Around this time of year we see an increase in thefts of packages from peoples’ front porches,” said Sgt. Peter DeVries of the North Vancouver RCMP.

“But you can reduce the risk of becoming a victim by taking a few simple steps. Take an extra moment when going through the online checkout to add shipping instructions. You can direct that the package be left in a specific location on your property rather than on your front porch. Choose a spot that’s out of view, such as a rear staircase or hidden side of a shed, or even set out an inconspicuous container with a lid.”

(A female emerges from the shadows in front of someone’s house. She is dressed in dark clothing and wears a hooded sweatshirt to hide her face. She climbs the front steps and walks onto the front porch of the house and bends down out of view. When she stands up, she is holding a package. She turns and walks away, down the steps and disappears into the shadows. VIDEO: RCMP)

“If the item you’ve purchased is of higher value, it’s worth it to pay those couple of dollars extra to require a signature for delivery. If the packages are visible from the street, you face a much higher risk of having them stolen,” said DeVries.