WV Press Release Sharing

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is urging consumers to be careful when having packages delivered to their homes.

The advice comes as part of the Attorney General’s Holiday Consumer Protection Week.

Packages arrive at doors more frequently during the holiday shopping season because of the popularity of online shopping. Thieves have been known to pilfer packages from porches, so it is important for consumers to take precautions.

“Who doesn’t love the convenience of online shopping?” Attorney General Morrisey said. “Make sure that you don’t inadvertently entice thieves by leaving packages unattended. These porch pirates will prey upon any opportunity to steal your joy this season.”

Consumers should consider having packages shipped to their workplace or to a trusted neighbor’s house instead of allowing packages to be left unattended at home. Consumers can also opt to have their packages shipped to a local post office or authorized FedEx or UPS locations for pick up.

Consumers should always require a signature to verify receipt. Video doorbells also have become increasingly popular and, in some instances, have caught porch pirates red-handed.