More and more Americans are doing their shopping online. Hundreds of billions of dollars are used to purchase items over the internet rather than in stores, according to the Department of Commerce. It’s also likely not surprising that this is on the rise. It’s great from a convenience standpoint, but those packages, so often left out in the open upon delivery, are just too enticing to thieves.

Although there is no way to insure the items that you are having delivered. There are some ways that you can be proactive in preventing package theft.

Porch Pirating

When having packages delivered to your home, beware of “porch pirating” — when a thief steals delivered packages from your doorstep or porch. Thieves can follow delivery trucks, watching for prime targets. These thieves commonly strike during working hours as many homes are empty at that time. To help avoid this situation, when possible, have your packages delivered to a location where they can be received in person, such as a neighbor’s or relative’s house.

When making a purchase online, if the retailer provides the option, choose a specific delivery time. If purchasing from a larger retailer, consider having your package delivered to a local store for pick-up. Take advantage of delivery alerts so you can be notified when a package arrives at your home. If you are not available to accept delivery, ask a trusted neighbor to take your package inside for safekeeping.

When possible, request the delivery company to hold your package at their closest pick-up facility until you can pick it up. You also can ask the shipper to require a signature confirmation of delivery in order to prevent packages being left when no one is home to sign for them. It also is helpful to provide delivery instructions so packages can be left out of sight from your yard or the road.