Porch Piracy concerns rise in Colorado Springs ahead of Cyber Monday deliveries

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- A video capturing a suspect allegedly stealing two packages off of Shelley Sharp’s doorstep is sounding the alarm for residents to take more caution when ordering online this holiday season.

The Colorado Springs native says had it not been for her security system… she may have never known what happened to her purchases.

“It is concerning to me that someone is bold enough to walk up to my house not knowing if someone is in there or not,” Sharp said.

Sharp says she was out of town visiting family in Texas when the theft occurred at her Southeast home in the Springs. The theft amounted to over $250 in losses. Even worse, she says they were Christmas presents for her family.

“It is hard to kinda spread that money out and be able to afford decent gifts for everybody,” she said.

According to the 2021 Package Theft Annual Report, at least 18 percent of Colorado residents have experienced Sharp’s pain.

So what can be done to stop porch piracy?

In Sharp’s situation - she plans to file a police report in the coming days. Because she has a video of the suspect stealing her packages, it could help law enforcement positively identify him.

Her other big takeaway from this costly lesson? Sharp says to secure your packages.

“If you can put notes on your order to please leave the package at x location around my door or whatever you can think of, definitely I will be doing that from now on,” she said.