CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. -- Authorities say porch pirates are on the prowl around this time of year.

• Investigators say this crime happens a lot around Christmas time
• Think twice when ordering gifts online
• Several stores offer in-store pick up

A Granite Falls woman is now behind bars after she was caught on camera taking packages from homes in two counties.

“We collected that video and put it out on social media and right away people became active and wanted to identify who this person was,” Cpt. Corina Fletcher with the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office said.

The suspect is identified as Summer Hatcher and Caldwell County detectives say they found several gifts in her home. She has so far been charged with three larcenies in Catawba, one in Hickory, and two in Caldwell County.

“One of the easiest ways to prevent it is having items delivered to your work address while you're at work,” Cpt. Fletcher said.

Many have heard of Amazon Key, which allows deliveries inside your home, but there is also Amazon in-car delivery which allows drivers to leave packages in your car, but it has to be parked in a public area.

“There's also decorative items that serve as lock boxes, where the delivery driver can put the package in a locked box and it looks like a planter,” she said.

You can schedule a delivery time and ask a friend or family member to receive the package for you and require a signature from the delivery service. Then there is the old way of shopping which is going to the store.

If you want to avoid the lines, several stores offer in-store pick up so you can order online and then head to the store when you're ready to take your gifts home.