Porch Pirates: Protect Yourself from Becoming a Victim

Michelle Wilson - November 2, 2021

Online shopping has been prolific for a while now, but with the COVID-19 pandemic, more people than ever are doing their shopping online. Unfortunately, this has led to an increase in package theft, with approximately 14% of Americans saying they’ve had packages stolen in the last 12 months (according to a survey by Finder.com). This amounts to around 35.5 million American victims, losing an average of $156.82 in stolen goods. Finder estimates that Americans lost around $5.4 billion from package theft in the past 12 months.

Porch pirates is the name given to thieves who steal packages from outside people’s homes. While porch pirates have been around since at least the early 2010s, the surge in online shopping and home delivery has led to an increase in the presence of porch pirates.

However, you don’t have to be an unfortunate victim. There are things you can do. Read on to learn how to protect yourself from dastardly porch pirates.

What is a Porch Pirate?

Porch Pirates are criminals who steal packages from outside people’s homes. Most of these crimes are crimes of opportunity. After all, it’s relatively easy to steal a package off someone’s porch.

Porch Pirates might also steal packages because there’s a chance that it contains valuable merchandise. They take parcels in the hopes that there’s something inside that can be resold, such as a phone, a video game system, a sound system, a computer, or jewelry.

Who are Porch Pirates?

According to a survey by Finder.com, 3% of Americans surveyed admitted that they’d stolen a package from someone in the last 12 months. Additionally, it seems that men are more prone to package theft, as 5.29% of men admitted to being a porch pirate, while only 0.85% of women admitted the same thing. This means that men are 522.35% more likely to be porch pirates than women.

Who is Most Affected by Porch Piracy

Finder.com reports that of the people they surveyed, 17% of men reported having a package stolen, compared to 11% of women. Additionally, men reported having a higher average cost of stolen items, reporting an average cost of $190.47. By comparison, women reported that the average cost of their stolen package was $111.72.

Furthermore, 22% of millennials surveyed reported being porch pirate victims. Millennials also reported a higher average value of items stolen, with an average of $185.97. Additionally, people who reported higher incomes were also more likely to have had an item stolen. According to Finder.com’s survey, 27% of people who earn over $120K reported having a package stolen, while only 10% of those making under $20,000 a year reported a theft.

What’s the Frequency of Porch Piracy?

In the last 12 months, 39% of respondents to the Finder.com survey reported having at least one package stolen, while approximately 36% said they had at least two packages taken. Furthermore, 11% said they had been victimized three or more times.

How to Protect Yourself from Becoming a Victim

If you’re not ready to give up online shopping, but don’t want to be a porch pirate victim, here are some things you can do:

• Require a signature: You can generally select an option to require that your package not be dropped off unless someone signs for it. This means that unless a person answers the door and signs a form, your package will go back with the delivery person until such a time as someone signs for it.
• Use a porch pirate bag: This product is a bag that’s made from durable material and comes with a lock. You leave it on your porch with instructions that the delivery person place the package inside the bag and lock it to something fixed on your porch.
• Purchase a Package Receiving Service: There are services you can pay for with major delivery companies that let you rent a locker where the postman can deliver your packages.
• Install a home security system: A home security system can include features such as 24/7 monitoring, yard signs, window decals, motion detectors, a digital panel, etc. Having a security system can deter porch pirates because package theft is usually a crime of opportunity. If they see that your house has surveillance equipment, they might think twice about robbing you.
• Employ a security camera: A security camera near your front door will help you catch a porch pirate. It will give you evidence and visual information about the thief to show to law enforcement.
• Have your packages sent to your local post office: Some carriers, like USPS, offer you the option of having your package delivered to your local post office instead of your house. This means that you can pick up your package when it’s convenient for you, and in the meantime, your parcel is being held securely.
• Request that your package is hidden from plain view: A good way to deter porch pirates is to hide the fact that you’ve received a parcel. You can do this by talking to your delivery driver and asking that they place the package in a spot obscured from view or else leave instructions in the “delivery instructions” portion of your shipping information.
• Join forces with your neighbors: If porch pirates are a big problem in your neighborhood, you might want to join forces with your neighbors to put a stop to it. For instance, you can agree to keep an eye on deliveries at each other’s houses, or you can ask neighbors to pick up your parcels when you’re not home.
• Have packages delivered to your work: If you spend more time at work than at home, it makes logistical sense to ship your parcels to your work location instead of your home. In this way, you can ensure that you never have a package sitting temptingly on your porch for long periods of time.

The Bottom Line

Online shopping is convenient, but some of that convenience is marred by the scourge of porch pirates. These thieves are either criminals of opportunity, or else they’re hoping you’ve ordered something of value that they can resell. Either way, it’s incredibly upsetting to have your package stolen. Fortunately, you can take steps to prevent package theft. So whether it’s installing a doorbell camera or having your packages shipped to the post office instead of your home, make sure you don’t just lie back and let porch pirates take advantage of you.