The anticipation of the arrival of a special package is second only to when that package actually arrives! If you’re like most of us nowadays, you’ll get a notification on your phone that it’s there, sitting out front waiting for you to lovingly collect it when you get home from work or school. But when you finally get home and the moment has arrived…there’s nothing there!
#porchpirates
Some places are worse than others, of course. So how many of those bandits are lurking where you live, and what can you do about it?
Here are Five Fast Facts on porch pirates:
- 🦹 Defining The Problem - A “porch pirate” refers to someone who steals packages from someone else’s porch or the front of their house. It happens in all neighborhoods, in city and rural areas, and across all economic sectors. Porch pirates apparently really believe in equal opportunity.
- 📈 The Size And Scope - It’s a massive problem! Seventy-five percent of Americans receive at least one package per week, and 22% receive them daily. So it’s not a surprise that in 2022, almost 80% of all Americans had at least one package stolen from them. A total of 260 million packages estimated at almost $20 billion in value were pilfered. It’s been a thing since packages started getting delivered, but it really amped up in the pandemic when online shopping shot through the roof. Eight states have declared it a felony.
- 💰 High Value Targets - The average value of stolen packages across the country is $50. Alaska and Rhode Island buy more expensive stuff, apparently, because the average value of their stolen stuff is $80. Arizona is the lowest, at $30 average per package.
- ♻️ Not Again - It’s hard to tell how often this occurs because retailers don’t specifically report on it. But, looking at the frequency of Google searches for “stolen package” combined with actual theft crimes reported, it looks like New Hampshire is the worst state because it’s at or near the top in both. Florida is the best, coming in low on both measures. It could also be that Florida has a lot of retired folks who sit on their porches all day long.
- 🤔 What To Do - Fortunately, most retailers will replace stolen goods when they are reported. It also helps to have security cameras (though it can still happen, especially if the pirates aren’t particularly observant), or have things delivered with signatures required or at a secure/monitored location like a PO box or Amazon drop station.
🔥Bottom line: You work hard for your cash, and it’s super frustrating to have your packages stolen right off your own front porch! Be aware, take precautions, and make sure those porch pirates don’t get you!
Have you been struck by porch pirates recently?
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