Police are advising people buying Christmas presents online to use click and collect services after a spate of parcels being stolen when left outside homes.
A total of almost one billion parcels will be sent to households between now and December 25, thanks to the growth in internet shopping.
Royal Mail will deliver 500,000,000 packages.
Many parcels are left by couriers at driveways or on doors.
Following a string of thefts from parcels left outside their homes, police advise people who are buying Christmas presents online that they use click and pick services.
Citizens Advice reported that it received over 22,000 visits from its stolen and lost parcels website last month.
After being victim to the theft, hundreds of victims took to social networking to vent their frustrations. Many accused parcel businesses of not treating complaints seriously.
In Camden, North London, police are advising residents: ‘Choose click and collect so you can collect your parcel from a secure location.’
Deputy Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman, of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said: ‘With a stronger drive to shop online, it has presented thieves an opportunity to target parcels.
‘But this type of crime is preventable and we’re asking everyone to do all that they can to stop this crime happening.’