VICTORIA -- A Victoria man has resorted to zip-tying his Christmas decorations to his stair railing after a thief recently stole his decorative lights.

Glen Weitzdoerfer tried to turn on his multi-coloured icicle lights Friday evening, but when they didn’t light up he thought a windstorm had knocked them out.

“When I came out they were nowhere to be found,” Weitzdoerfer told CTV News.

His security camera captured a person calmly walking onto his property off Wascana Street, climbing up his front steps and taking his lights.

“They were careful to take them down nicely, they wanted the lights,” said Weitzdoerfer. “I am more angry that he is in my yard… it is not the price of the decorations.”

Now, Weitzdoerfer has secured a new string of lights with clamps and zip ties. He's also installed a new security camera because the old one did not capture a clear image of the thief.

Saanich police are warning the public to be aware of porch pirates this holiday season.

“Try and have the delivery made when they are home or alternatively have it delivered to somewhere they know someone is home, like [at a] relative's, friend's or business,” said Const. Markus Anastasiades of the Victoria Police Department.

Police add that Canada Post offers a free option to have your package dropped off at a Canada Post office to be picked up at a later time.

If you’ve had a package stolen, police are asking that you report it.

“Let us know about these offences because it allows us to track them and locate trends of where they are occurring,” said Anastasiades.