"Let's not turn Cyber Monday into Porch Pirate Tuesday."
That's the advice from Marietta Police spokesman Chuck McPhilamy, as the first weekday shopping day after Black Friday was expected to ring up more than $9 billion in online sales, according to Adobe Analytics.
McPhilamy is urging buyers to send incoming packages to places other than their homes, if no one will be available to immediately bring them inside and out of a thief's reach. He also suggests that buyers request delivery verification through signatures.
"Our goal is to make sure that you ship safe," says McPhilamy. "Ship it to someone that will be able to be there to sign for it."
Having something delivered to a neighbor who works from home could be convenient for some. Other options include having a package sent to your workplace, to the Post Office, or to a shipping store or distribution hub for you to pick up later.
Signature deliveries can cost extra money, and other options may give buyers a bit of an extra commute, but McPhilamy says it's worth it to keep your packages out of crooks' hands.
"All of these are items that might cost a dollar or two more for the package, because it's slowing down the driver and requiring a little more time.
But the value of that is worth its weight in gold."