Porch piracy, or package theft, is a growing problem in many communities around the world. With the increasing popularity of online shopping and home delivery, more and more packages are being left on the doorstep, making them easy targets for thieves.
But just how many packages do porch pirates typically take? And how much does it cost consumers?
According to a survey conducted by SafeWise, about 76% of Americans have had a package stolen from their doorstep in the last 12 months. This means that over three in four people have experienced this type of theft, which can be both frustrating and costly.
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While it's difficult to determine exactly how many packages are stolen by porch pirates, SafeWise estimated around 260 million packages disappeared from porches across America over the last 12 months.
In fact, the same survey found that package theft is more common in urban areas, where there are more people and more packages being delivered — more on that in a bit.
Those 260 million stolen packages have amounted to a staggering $19.5 billion.
That's higher than the market cap required for a company to be included in the S&P 500 — $14.6 billion.
To protect your packages from porch pirates, there are a few steps you can take.
One option is to use a package delivery service that requires a signature for delivery, such as FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX), or United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS). This way, you'll know that someone was present to receive the package and it wasn't left unattended on your doorstep.
You can also equip your home with security cameras offered by companies such as ADT Inc (NYSE:ADT), Honeywell International Inc (NASDAQ:HON), Vivint Smart Home Inc (NYSE:VVNT), or even the Ring Doorbell camera system owned by Amazon.com, Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN).
Another option is to have your packages delivered to a location where they can be securely stored, such as a mailbox or a package locker. You can also ask a trusted neighbor or family member to accept the package on your behalf if you're not home when it's delivered.
So where is it happening the most?
According to the SafeWise report, the top ten cities where porch pirates are most active are:
- San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA
- Seattle-Tacoma, WA
- Austin, TX
- Hartford & New Haven, CT
- Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Portland, OR
- Fresno-Visalia, CA
- Milwaukee, WI
- New Orleans, LA
And the least?
- Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, FL
- Tampa-St. Petersburg (Sarasota), FL
- Raleigh-Durham (Fayetteville), NC
- Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne, FL
- Cleveland-Akron (Canton), OH
- Detroit, MI
- Cincinnati, OH
- Nashville, TN
- San Diego, CA
- San Antonio, TX