Pandemic Porch Pirate Activity Is Still High. Here’s What You Can Do To Prevent Package Theft

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, more consumers than ever before are turning to online shopping. Unfortunately, along with the rise in e-commerce comes a rise of porch pirates — a nuisance no community should ever have to worry about. In 2020, 1 in 5 Americans reported being victims of porch piracy.

We are here to break down the facts about package theft and the actions you can take to prevent porch pirates in your community.

What are porch pirates?

If you have never been the victim of a porch pirate before, consider yourself lucky. The term refers to thieves who steal the packages from your porch or mailbox before you can retrieve them. 

In some cases porch pirates merely cause annoyance, but there have been many serious circumstances as well, like in Sandy Springs, Georgia when a serial package thief stole eight credit cards under different names. Porch piracy often leads to more serious crime, like identity theft.

The reality of porch pirate crimes

Unfortunately, due to a lack of obtainable evidence, police only solve about 10% of residential package theft cases. This statistic often surprises homeowners who believe that their home security system or doorbell camera provides all the necessary information police need to find the suspect.

The reality is that, on their own, security cameras or doorbell devices may not provide the clear, actionable evidence that matters in solving investigations. 

So, what are my options for stopping porch pirates?

Always track your packages

Use the provided shipping information to estimate when the package should arrive. If you plan on being absent during the arrival window, ask a neighbor to bring it in for you or redirect it to a pickup center.

If you plan on leaving town for an extended period of time, plan accordingly and only order items that you know will arrive before you depart.

Buy a porch locker

Porch lockers are containers with a lock and a screw that secures into the ground, so they cannot be carried off. The idea is that delivery drivers can place the package into the locked box. It presents a nifty solution, but it also requires homeowners to store a large, unsightly locker on their porch.

Additionally, the size of the locker may limit what items can be placed inside. 

Look at installing Flock Safety License Plate Reading (LPR) cameras in your neighborhood

Homeowners Associations and law enforcement all over the country have experienced first hand the success that Flock Safety has in preventing and solving property crimes like package theft.

The key lies in the system’s unique Vehicle Fingerprint™ technology that gathers and categorizes physical descriptions about each vehicle that passes the camera. When a crime occurs, assigned users — such as a designated HOA board member or local police — can simply filter their search within the timeframe when the package was stolen and return vehicle details and a license plate number.

Unlike traditional LPRs or home security cameras, Flock Safety cameras are aesthetically pleasing and affordable for neighborhoods seeking a turnkey solution to package theft.

Click here to find out more about how Flock Safety can protect your packages — and your community.