Dronedek, specializing in smart mailboxes for autonomous delivery services, puts stolen packages in the spotlight.
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – (December 6, 2022) – With the holiday season upon us, millions of people will be sending gifts around the country. However, many will never make it to the intended person. According to a report by Safewise, there have been 260 million packages stolen from porches across the country in the last year. This is up by 50 million from the prior year. The more we buy online, the more packages are getting stolen. The loss in theft adds up to nearly $20 billion per year. The good news is some things can be done to help protect the packages from porch pirates.
“It’s a crime that largely goes unpunished. We have to be proactive in reducing our risks of being a victim,” says Dan O’Toole, founder and chief executive officer of Dronedek. “We can no longer simply place an order and assume it will reach us.”
No matter where people live, package theft is an issue and something that 80% of consumers are concerned about. The Safewise reports the top best and worse metro areas for porch pirates. Ranking best in Miami, while San Francisco is at the top in the worst category.
Here are ways to help protect packages this holiday season:
- Have a security camera. While this is not a sure-proof way to avoid theft, it will help reduce it. The Safewise report shows that 35% of those who had packages stolen had a security camera. Be sure that it is set up correctly to help get the person on camera if it happens.
- Arrange deliveries so that they require a signature, need to be picked up at a central location or locker, or have it delivered to an address where they can be given to a person rather than left unattended, such as to a neighbor who is home during the day, the office, etc. Alternatively, only have deliveries take place when someone is home.
- Sign up to get delivery alert notifications. This will provide regular updates about where the item is and let people know when it has been delivered. Upon receiving the alert, a neighbor could be asked to grab it.
- Opt for the most secure delivery receptacle that can be found. Coming onto the market, including Dronedek, which will roll out its “mailbox of the future” next year. Dronedek mailboxes are secure, open only by app, are climate controlled, and have numerous other safety features. They accept delivery via autonomous means, such as drones or robotic devices, and via traditional United States Postal Service or other human delivery personnel.
“We have a stolen package crisis in this country, and Dronedek is the solution everyone has been waiting for,” adds O’Toole. “It will be a complete game changer, making package delivery safe, secure, and reliable.”
Dubbed the “mailbox of the future,” the device will help people send and receive packages securely and safely and provides privacy. Dronedek has raised $7.1 million, helping to bring the receptacles to market and launching pilot programs. The company has also recently announced several new partnerships across its MaaS (Mailbox as a Service) ecosystem, including drone provider Vayu Aerospace and network provider Helium.
To see videos of Dronedek in action, visit Dronedek: The Next Generation Mailbox and New Dronedek Smart Receptacle. To learn more about Dronedek, visit the site: https://www.dronedek.com.
About Dronedek
Dronedek is one of the first companies in the world to focus on package security for traditional and autonomous delivery methods. The device will keep packages hot or cold, alert users to package arrivals or pickups, recharges drones and other electrical devices, and in times of need, can even serve as an alert to emergency response services. An app controls everything from when the device is opened for delivery and retrieval to its emergency alarm features. Dronedek is a company offering a new way of sending and receiving packages of up to five pounds each and is destined to become an everyday utility service alongside internet, power, and water. The device provides a safe, secure method of delivery that keeps the items in a patented receptacle. The receptacle offers complete protection from the weather and would-be thieves. Dan O’Toole, a patent holder, and serial entrepreneur founded the company. The company is based in Indianapolis, Indiana. To learn more, visit the site: https://www.dronedek.com.