Police use fake Amazon boxes with GPS to catch thieves

Jersey City police have worked with Amazon to set up traps in areas where there has been a greater number of thefts reported. In one case a parcel was stolen only three minutes after it was installed on a porch. The suspects were almost immediately captured by the police. Not all operations have been so successful and the program is limited in scope, as it is not possible for the police to deliver and monitor packages of the same volume as Amazon. But the thought of stealing a box outside the doorstep may cause your arrest to deter someone would be criminal.

Pack theft is certainly a problem, especially in the holiday season, which is expected to see more than 800 million boxes being delivered. It is almost impossible to say how often the problem is, though. Xfinity Home, Comcast's website security service, estimates that 30 percent of Americans will experience having a parcel stolen at one time. A report from Insurance quotas places that is closer to 8 percent. Amazon has attempted to resolve the issue of home delivery through the Amazon key service, but it may not be the best option to take a chance with a package on your doorstep, even if you let a stranger get into your home.