Online product delivery allows you to order and have items shipped quickly to your home. While the quick delivery and online access are convenient, package deliveries can also be prone to "porch pirates". These pirates are thieves that look for packages and quickly steal them from a home. Instead of losing out on the items that you purchased online, you can take extra steps to ensure your porch and packages are protected from intruders. By customizing your security system, there are four ways to deter the thefts and keep your home protected.

Driveway Motion Alarms

Often, thefts can occur minutes after the package delivery. While you're at home, it's a good idea to see if anyone is approaching the house. Door and garage motion alarms are typical fixtures of home security systems, but you can go one step further by adding a driveway motion alarm. This alarm is installed at the entry point of your driveway. Before anyone gets close to your porch, the motion alarm will sense them approaching.

You have multiple options for this alarm. The first is an audible alarm that sends an indicating sound to the intruders and hopefully scares them away. The second is a silent motion alarm that sends you a signal inside your home so you can monitor the situation outside.

IP Peephole Cams

A peephole offers great views of your porch area when you're home, but it's useless if you're not home. This is why security companies can upgrade your peephole to a digital peephole camera. An IP camera is specifically designed to send you streaming signals of your peephole feed to a device. When it's connected to your full security system, you have the ability to monitor your porch at any time. This means that when you have a scheduled package delivery and you're not home, you can check in on the package to make sure it's arrived and is still present at the home.

Package Doggy Door

As an alternative to a traditional doggy door, the front door on your porch can be made specifically for package deliveries. By leaving instructions with delivery companies, you can ensure that packages are placed through the door instead of outside or left in the open. Large size dog doors can fit a majority of packages that you order. When the door is equipped to only open inward, it can prevent any thieves from pulling the package back out.

A security company can add a sensor to the top of the door to prevent it from opening. Along with locks, a loud blaring sensor can create enough noise to alert neighbors and deter the thieves from getting away with your package.

Exterior Camera Features

If a package theft does happen, it's important to provide a lot of information and evidence to the police. The best way to do this is by having exterior security cameras installed. Not only can they offer evidence, but when a potential thief sees the camera, they may leave instead of stealing the package. These cameras have a number of features that help with exterior locations.

Night Vision: Early morning or dusk package deliveries can hinder the performance of a traditional security cameras. Security cameras with night vision can pick up details and visuals during all types of low light situations. Automated sensor lights can also help with the performance of a low light security camera.

Wide Angled Cameras: A wide angle camera will help capture your whole porch with just a single camera. This allows you to see all angles and multiple areas where package deliveries are located. Wide angled cameras that are positioned high up can help cover even more distance.

Weatherproofing Features: A number of security cameras have features that help protect it from different weather elements. This includes water proof lens, a lens hood, and a casing to protect the camera from extreme temperatures.

Every porch is different and this is why it's important to work with security companies on figuring out the best set up for your home. For more information, contact a company like Videotec Corporation.