Don't let a Grinch steal your online deliveries

'Tis the season more Calgarians are finding themselves the victim of parcel theft. 

RCMP say it's a crime of opportunity, with deliveries of online orders stolen from doorsteps or apartment hallways.

Aurelie Walsh with Canada Post says one way for customers to better protect themselves is to read the fine print.

"When it comes to a signature, what you can do is read the retailer shipping policy before you buy," she said.

"Many of them let you choose if you want your item delivered to you with a signature, so that ensures that it comes to your door or you get a call, which means you get a card to go pick it up."

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Ray Recto regularly shops online and says he's had three parcels disappear from the front door of his condo in the last couple months, including an expensive pressure cooker he ordered from Amazon.

"You put your trust in your neighbours and good faith that they won't pick up something, but the opportunity is there for some people, and they have different motives," he said.

RCMP Cpl. Curtis Peters says police often see a spike in parcel theft at this time of year.

"Sometimes we've encountered situations where the thief has observed parcels left on doorsteps and just walked up there, collected them and made off with them," he said.

RCMP also suggest online shoppers have parcels delivered to their workplace to avoid falling victim to theft.