How to protect your packages from ‘porch pirates’ this holiday season
If you’ve downloaded neighborhood safety apps like Nextdoor, you may be familiar with alerts like: “Porch pirate alert: FedEx package stolen!”
These notifications will be rolling in more often this upcoming holiday season, officials say.
Porch piracy — the stealing of recently delivered packages from your deck — is on the rise, according to home security provider SafeWise.
A SafeWise research study found that from Nov. 2022 to Nov. 2023 roughly 76% of Americans were victims of package theft; a 5% increase compared to 2022.
In the 12-month period, 113 million packages were stolen, resulting in a $6 billion financial loss. That works out to $18 for every person in the U.S.
“Porch piracy is rising with the yearlong popularity of online shopping,” said SafeWise safety expert Rebecca Edwards. “A decade ago, it’s something you may not have talked about – and certainly something you shouldn’t have seen caught on camera.”
At the federal level, the Porch Pirates Act – a measure to apply the same penalties to package theft– remains pending in Congress. In the 13 states where lawmakers have sought to single out porch piracy as a crime, eight have enacted package-theft legislation.
In 2019, NYS Sen. Daphne Jordan introduced a measure to make package theft a felony. The penalty is up to five years in prison.
How to stop porch pirates
Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol and Little Falls Chief of Police Robert Thomas have several tips to help people keep their items safe.
“As Black Friday/Cyber Monday orders are starting to arrive, the last thing you want is your gifts disappearing before you can even find them on your porch,” said Maciol.
Track your packages. Amazon, FedEx and UPS give you the option to electronically track a package on its journey to your home.
“If you know you won’t be home, then you can customize your delivery time, or if the retailer has the option, you can do in-store pickup,” said Maicol.
Some retailers offer pickup via lockers so you don’t have to wait in line at customer service.
Require a signature for delivery. In many cases this comes with a fee. Both UPS and FedEx charge $5.55, but FedEx waives its fee if the packaged value exceeds $500.
“If you aren’t there for the signature, they’ll try again,” said Thomas. “The goal is to reduce the amount of time the package sits out in plain sight.”
Talk to your neighbors. Maicol recommends keeping trusted neighbors in the loop about anticipated deliveries so they can be on the lookout for packages if you’re not around.
If you feel inclined, arrange for a trusted neighbor to receive the package, he said.
Put security measures in place; install a doorbell camera to capture sharable footage. “It helps the police track down your package if the thief can be identified,” said Thomas.
He also suggests placing security equipment at secondary points to the entry, such as the roadway.
Can you get reimbursed for stolen packages?
The three delivery giants – Amazon, FedEx, and UPS – have strategies to fight porch pirates.
Victims of package theft are encouraged to contact UPS to file a claim within the first 60 days.
“If consumers believe they experienced package theft, we suggest calling their local authorities, filing a police report and contacting the retailer for reimbursement or reshipment,” UPS said in a statement.
According to FedEx, drivers are required to report suspicious activities related to package delivery.
“FedEx Express and Ground residential customers are now able to see picture proof of a completed delivery for packages that do not require signature,” the company explained in a statement.
Amazon has designed tools to thwart porch piracy: Customers can track their orders, share delivery information with trusted friends, and follow the real-time location of their driver.