A few months ago, my Hello Fresh grocery delivery was taken from my porch. My family members, who were home that day, had left for a brief period of time (no more than an hour), and it’s assumed that someone who had been watching them saw the opportunity to swoop in and snatch the box up.
As e-commerce continues to boom, so too does the number of porch pirates stealing packages off doorsteps. Porch pirates are criminals who steal packages from people’s doorsteps after they’ve been delivered by mail carriers. This growing problem poses a threat to consumers who order items online and have them shipped to their homes. Let’s take a look at the rise of porch pirates and what you can do to protect your deliveries.
How Common Are Porch Pirates?
The rise in online shopping has caused an increase in package theft across the country. In 2018, over 23 million Americans reported having a package stolen from their doorstep – that’s one out of every five shoppers! To make matters worse, this number grew exponentially during the COVID-19 pandemic, as many turned to online shopping instead of going into brick-and-mortar stores. That means it is more important than ever for customers to take measures to protect their shipments from being stolen.
What Can You Do To Prevent Package Theft?
Thankfully, there are several precautions you can take to protect your deliveries from porch pirates. For example, ask your carrier if they offer signature confirmation when delivering packages; this will require someone at home (or with permission) to sign for the package before it is left on the doorstep. Another option is to have packages sent to an alternate address such as your workplace or a friend or family member’s home where someone can accept delivery in person. If those options aren’t available, you can also purchase security cameras or smart locks that allow you to control access remotely. Lastly, if all else fails, many retailers offer package pickup services at nearby locations so that customers can pick up orders without waiting around for a delivery person.
From my experience, I learned the hard way how important it is to monitor and secure items being delivered to my home. After filing a police report for my stolen box and informing my neighbourhood committee, I purchased a couple of security cameras and now track the location/status of delivery items I am expecting.
Porch pirates pose a real threat for people who frequently shop online and have items delivered directly to their homes. It is important for consumers to be aware of these criminals and take steps to ensure that their shipments arrive safely and securely. Thankfully, there are several proactive measures you can take such as requesting signature confirmation from the carrier or having packages sent elsewhere where someone can accept delivery in person—not just leaving it on the doorstep! By following these tips, hopefully you will be able to avoid becoming another statistic in the rising problem of porch piracy!