The C-Note Monday, July 7 Edition
Catastrophic flooding in Texas, protecting packages during Amazon Prime Day, what is heading to our solar system and the power of your voice.
“A person who does not remember where they came from will never arrive at their destination.” — Unknown Proverb
Good morning! Did you enjoy the holiday weekend? I hope you enjoyed a barbecue, pool party, fireworks or all of the above. It feels like the summer is going by fast and so is the news. Here’s a look at what’s going on.
The “C-Note”
Amazon Prime Day starts tomorrow and while many are eager to snag deals on everything from electronics to beauty items, thieves are eager to snag packages.
Package thefts are on the rise and are a top crime in the U.S., according to an analysis by SafeWise, a safety and security research group. During the 2024 holiday season, 22% of packages were stolen during Prime Day, according to those surveyed by home security company Vivint. And among those surveyed, nearly 1 in 5 paid more than $100 replacing stolen gifts, while 17% couldn't afford a replacement. I asked Jim Nye, chief product officer at Vivint and its parent company NRG, about what shoppers can do to protect their packages, deter thieves and what to do if you catch a thief in the act.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Chandelis Duster: What are some of the most common items that are reported stolen during Prime Day deals?
Jim Nye: During Prime Day, consumers take advantage of great deals on a wide variety of goods – from electronics, to apparel, to decor and beyond. Any and all of these items are common targets of porch piracy.
Have you noticed a particular hour or time of the day when thefts occur?
According to Vivint data, the afternoon is the most likely time for a package to be stolen. While thieves don’t clearly prefer any given day of the week, Mondays and Tuesdays were the most common days for package thieves to try and get their hands on a delivery.
What type of camera placement is most effective for deterring theft (Ex: doorbell, garage, driveway, or angled porch cameras)? Are there specific camera features that work better, such as motion tracking or two-way audio?
Optimal camera placement varies based on each homeowner’s specific layout, needs and preferences – but outdoor cameras should generally cover the home’s entry points and have a clear view of other high-traffic areas around the property.
When choosing outdoor cameras, features like motion tracking and two-way audio enhance security. Additional useful capabilities include night vision, wide-angle views and HD zoom, which assist in monitoring and identifying faces, vehicles and suspicious activity.
Are there any specific porch layouts or environmental factors that make a home more vulnerable to package theft?
A porch layout with poor visibility and limited security makes a home more vulnerable to package theft.
Porches with limited visibility from neighboring properties or the street allow package thieves to go unnoticed. Visible security measures such as doorbell cameras, smart lighting and outdoor cameras not only increase visibility but deter potential thieves by increasing risk of detection.
If a theft is in progress and being seen by a homeowner in real time, what should the person do? Should the person try to stop the thief by talking to them over the camera system? And can the footage be given to the police and used for prosecution?
Vivint and other comparable systems may contact the authorities automatically if criminal activity is detected. Other features of Vivint products, such as Smart Deter, let the person at your doorstep know they’ve been spotted by activating the camera’s light and sound deterrent. This means the homeowner doesn’t have to communicate directly in response to theft. If the homeowner does want to directly communicate with the porch pirate, Vivint offers two-way communication through its Doorbell Camera Pro.
Overall, Vivint footage can be shared with the police and leveraged when burglaries occur.
If a package is stolen, does Vivint assist with claim documentation or offer any customer support that helps with reimbursement or filing with retailers or delivery services?
Footage captured on Vivint cameras can be used by a homeowner and the authorities to determine whether a theft has occurred. Vivint does not work directly with retailers or delivery services.
What are the best measures and actions people should take to protect their packages, especially if they are out of town around a holiday like July 4th?
If a package arrives while you’re out of town, it’s a good idea to coordinate with a neighbor or friend who can move packages inside your home through a smart lock. Smart locks allow you to provide friends with unique codes so they can easily enter the home while you can track who is coming and going all from your phone.
Doorbell cameras, such as the Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro, can also proactively protect packages. Vivint’s Doorbell Camera Pro offers Smart Deter, a feature that notifies you when a package is delivered. If someone later approaches your package, it lets the person at your doorstep know they’ve been spotted by activating the camera’s light and sound deterrent – a bright LED ring around the camera and a warning tone from its 90 DB speaker. Since the last thing a thief wants is attention, this is an effective way to keep one’s home and packages safe.
Smart lighting solutions are also ideal in this scenario – they can automatically turn the lights on and off within a home which creates the appearance of activity. This is a deterrent for burglars who typically target empty properties.
Here is what else to know…
The search continues for survivors of the deadly Texas flood. Nearly 80 people are dead, including children, and many are still missing. My reporting for NPR here.
President Trump is meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House today. The agenda? Gaza and the Middle East.
Was bombing Iran part of a neocolonial project? My analysis with
and Ibram X. Kendi for The Emancipator here.👀 An interstellar object is flying toward our solar system at 137,000 miles per hour.
Oh, to be a Delta girl. More than 30,000 Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated members (including me) will gather in Washington, D.C. this week for our 57th National Convention. Our illustrious sisterhood was founded on Howard University’s campus in the city on January 13, 1913. The last national convention we held in the nation’s capital was during our centennial celebration in 2013.
Squid Game Season 3 broke Netflix records during its first week, pulling 60.1 million views in its first three days and is ranked #1 in 93 countries.
Speaking of a Season 3….Production for Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 is underway.
Encouragement for the week:
When faced with hardships and setbacks, we sometimes retreat and “lose” our voice. Don’t let life’s circumstances turn your voice into a whisper. You weren’t made to shrink, you were born to speak, to rise, to echo through the silence with truth that only you can carry. Your voice is a vessel of survival, a sound shaped by generations who refused to be silenced. There is power in your voice, enough to shift rooms, shatter lies and stir healing. Let the world adjust to your volume, not the other way around.
More soon and have a peaceful week,
Chandelis
