Tools to protect your packages from porch pirates

DENVER -- What if you could stop porch pirates from stealing your packages with new tools and technology?

Denver7 found several products designed to prevent thieves from targeting your home.

For Joy Guth, the wake-up call came when someone stole the milk from her front porch in Stapleton.

"I know, it's kind of sad," said Guth. "It just made me start thinking maybe we needed something that was going to be a little bit more secure for delivery since we get packages almost constantly."

For her family, the solution was the Landport, a large, locking steel box that can only be opened with a code.

"It’s been awesome. Not only can we use it for packages or milk, but we can also use it if we need to leave something for our neighbor or for our friend who was stopping by. Rather than leaving something on the front porch, we have something secure to put it in," said Guth.

She is not the only one looking for ways to fight back against the so-called porch pirates on the rise in the Denver metro.

At one Denver Home Depot, located at 500 S. Santa Fe Dr., there has been an increase in online orders of large locking parcel boxes, such as the ElephantTruck parcel drop box. 

"You have the key - you unlock it, and there's your package, safe and sound," said Patrick Velarde, an assistant store manager, demonstrating how the boxes work. "We have 12 larger options online."

Coming soon: a so-called "smart mailbox": Ucella has a touch screen, microphone and camera and expands for packages.

The start-up company is taking pre-orders.

For a less expensive option, a new, Frisbee-sized tool called The Package Guard promises to deter thieves. It can be placed by your front porch, establishing a clear delivery location.

It connects to WiFi and notifies you when packages are delivered.

If someone else picks them up, a loud alarm goes off, alerting the neighborhood.

At $69, it is a bargain compared to some of the lock boxes, which can cost hundreds of dollars.

But all of the tools promise something priceless for many homeowners worried about their packages.

"Now I don't have to worry about calling a neighbor or seeing if somebody would go pick it up, because it's safe," said Guth.