If you happen to live in one of 37 select cities and you have a 2015 or later Chevrolet, Buick, GMC or Cadillac (with an active account with OnStar) or a 2015 or newer Volvo (with On Call), then you’re in luck. You can have your package delivered right into the trunk of your car. Amazon thinks of everything! First it was Prime, then Amazon Key, and now Amazon Trunk. Ok, that’s not what it’s called but it’s clear that the behemoth is going to great lengths to make sure that its customers are not victims of Porch Pirates. HOAs and PMCs, take note — Security is the new black.
Amazon hasn’t stopped with porch pirates. They are garnering even more buzz with smart home packages that start at $240. The new service will charge a one-time fee rather than a monthly service and reportedly includes assets like an Echo Dot, lighting systems to make it look like you’re home, cloud cams, wireless speakers that play barking dog sounds, and countless other features. Google is also working on a smart home system.
75% of home security installations in 2017 included smart control features, according to Parks Associates’ Home Security: Channel Insights. Other fun security facts:
- 90% of U.S. security dealers include some interactive service
- 36% of security systems sales include a networked camera
At my house, I have ARLO camerasthe kit comes with stickers that say, “You may not see ARLO, but ARLO sees you.(kinda creepy, I admit!) And while porch pirates rank fairly low on the crime rung, the annoyance factor is high. One poor woman had an urn containing her father’s ashes stolen and one criminal took his dog along to steal packages. The stories are endless. And now with the rise in home security cameras, many of these brazen crimes are captured on camera.
If security isn’t on your radar as a PMC, it should be. Interested in learning more about how you can keep your communities safe, download our free checklist, 7 Tips to Properly Secure Your Community.
