Package Theft and Porch Pirates – The Facts and Causes (2024)

FAQs

Package Theft and Porch Pirates – The Facts and Causes? ›

The Facts About Package Theft and Porch Pirates

File a Claim with the Carrier: If the carrier confirms the delivery and you haven't received your package, you can file a claim. This is especially relevant if the package was insured. You'll need to provide details like the tracking number, description of the contents, and value.

According to Holguín-Veras, 1.7 million packages are stolen or lost everyday in the U.S.; over the period of a year, that amounts to over 620 million packages³.

Porch pirates often strike multiple times, so your footage may even be able to help police identify a suspect who has stolen before.

Install a video doorbell camera to add another layer of security. Video doorbells add a layer of protection against porch pirates. Video doorbells can be a deterrent to package theft, and not only because the video might scare away criminals.

Unfortunately, porch pirates can be very difficult to catch for a number of reasons. First, only 68% of homeowners have outdoor security cameras. Without cameras, it is nearly impossible to catch a porch pirate. Security cameras and doorbell cameras can greatly increase the chance of catching a package thief.

The police are more likely to pursue the case if you have evidence, such as security camera footage. Without any leads or evidence, there isn't much they can do.

Take advantage of package tracking

The simplest way to avoid porch pirates is to use this tracking information to quickly retrieve your package once it's delivered. If you're not able to be home during the delivery, you can also have someone else keeping an eye on your doorstep that day.

Amazon covers most stolen packages through its "A-to-Z" Guarantee Protection. Sometimes, purchases that are "fulfilled by Amazon" are actually sourced from retail partners known as "Amazon Sellers." (You should know if that's the case at the time you order the item.)

What states have the most porch pirates? ›

Some states are hit harder than others by porch pirates. Alaska and Rhode Island top the list with packages stolen that were valued at $80 while Arizona sits at the very bottom at $30. After Arizona, New Jersey, Louisiana and Illinois have the lowest valued packages stolen in the $30 range.

Unfortunately, there was a steep rise in the number of porch pirate incidents in 2020 during the pandemic. This is partially due to the fact that there was a major increase in online shopping as people were avoiding going to public places when possible.

Being a porch pirate,someone who stakes out homes and neighborhoods looking for packages to steal, is a lucrative enterprise. Last year alone, criminals swiped an estimated $8 billion of packages right off consumers' porches in hopes of scoring a steal, per Security.org.

A simple glitter bomb costs virtually nothing, is easy to make, and is wonderfully effective at throwing the surprise back in the porch pirate's face. When they open the package, they'll end up covered in glitter!

You cannot beat up a porch pirate or a trespasser or see the person later and beat him up.

Who is Responsible For a Stolen Package? While the porch pirate is ultimately to blame, there is a gray area about who is technically responsible for the costs. If it's due to a carrier, they can be held accountable. However, once an item is successfully delivered, it becomes the recipient's property.

A simple glitter bomb costs virtually nothing, is easy to make, and is wonderfully effective at throwing the surprise back in the porch pirate's face. When they open the package, they'll end up covered in glitter!

Porch pirates likely hope that small packages contain expensive items that can be resold, such as phones, video game systems, sound systems, or computers. Some people might simply have a compulsion towards theft that drives them to seek out the thrill of stealing.