Cyber Monday and throughout the holiday season we'll be clicking our mouses, ordering gifts, paying for shipping, tracking the progress of that shipment, only to come home to an empty doorstep. Why? Because some ne'er do well pilfered your package from your front porch.

YouTube is full of videos of people doing just that. The bottom line is that those that get caught on camera often get caught by police. So, one of your first lines of defense in the hi-tech war on low life thieves is a home security system that involves cameras.With today's technology, you can get HD cameras cheap and most alarm companies offer packages that include them. 

Law enforcement officials say another way you can avoid getting "grinched" is by having your packages delivered to your work address. Many employers won't mind as long as the packages don't pose a storage problem. Just alert the front desk that you're expecting a package so they won't be wondering what they need to do with your stuff.

If you have a neighbor that's at home during the day you might switch the delivery address to their address. This comes in handy when you're trying to keep surprises from prying eyes and the manufacturer of the product you've chosen has opted to put the name of the product and a full-size picture right on the box.

If you can't have packages delivered to work or you aren't friendly with a neighbor you can instruct the package delivery company to leave the package somewhere other than your front door. Maybe there is a more secluded side door or a back patio they can leave the packages. The big delivery services are here to help.

You can also purchase delivery insurance. I'd say that's an expense you don't really need but it's great for peace of mind. You might also arrange for in-store delivery if the online retailer has a store in your town.

If you're going to shop online you can at least protect your investment. Let's hope these suggestions will save you some hassle and heartache this holiday season.

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