As Benjamin Franklin once said, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Prevention is a powerful thing, and it’s big part of what inspires us here at Landport. So when our founder, Jody, was contacted by Sergeant Randy Teig from the Portland Police Bureau’s East Precinct Neighborhood Response Team to discuss ways to prevent package theft, she was thrilled.

Portland Police seek out Landport to help solve package theft

Sergeant Teig is tasked with helping reduce package theft, which is on the rise in Portland. In his quest to find solutions, he referenced a Community Package Security Action Plan written by his colleague, Deputy District Attorney Nathan Vasquez. The plan suggested the use of “safe delivery boxes” for individuals and communities as an effective means of deterring package theft. As a result, Sergeant Teig had been on the lookout for manufacturers of safe delivery boxes, which is how he came across the Landport company here in Portland. The City of Portland government does not endorse specific products, but looks for available resources.

Portland’s Office of Neighborhood Involvement, Crime Prevention Program gets involved

Sergeant Teig then sent Mark Wells from the City of Portland’s Crime Prevention Program of the Office of Neighborhood Involvement (ONI) Jody’s way. Jody met with Mark Wells, an experienced law enforcement professional, formerly a police officer and now a Crime Prevention Coordinator on Portland’s East Side. During the meeting, Mark shared some fascinating stories about community policing. Some incidents were dramatic, like a local drug bust that involved a helicopter landing and a SWAT team. But the majority of incidents were the more common property crimes, including car break-ins and home burglaries. And statistics show that if some measure of deterrence had been taken, many of these crimes might not have happened.

Unattended packages can lead to burglary

Stolen packages are a prime example of a crime that can be easily deterred. According to the Crime Prevention Program, unattended packages sitting on porches are an easy target. They are something of value that can be taken quickly without notice, making them a perfect crime of opportunity.

“Not only is an untended package that is visible from the street vulnerable to theft, but it may indicate that no one is home, making the home a possible target for burglary,” officials assert in Package Theft Prevention, a publication from the Crime Prevention Program of the ONI.

Landport can prevent a package theft, and it may also protect a home from burglary, making for a safer neighborhood.