Why Package Theft Happens

To Prevent Package Theft You Need a Package Delivery Box – And You Need to Know Why Package Theft Happens

  • Packages Are in Plain Sight
  • Package thieves or “porch pirates” will tell you that package theft is the perfect crime of opportunity. They can clearly see when a package is sitting on a porch or doorstep. When they are planning to steal packages, the visibility of the packages makes it easy for them to determine which homes to target. In other instances, the criminals were not planning on stealing a package but they could clearly see the box, carton, or envelope, so the opportunity presented itself – and they took it, literally.
  • Package Theft is Quick
  • No package thief wants to get caught. They will spend time determining if people are home, checking for neighbors, watching for cars, etc. But, once they decide to steal a particular package, they attempt to minimize the time they spend on the porch, doorstep, or sidewalk. They know that being seen leads to being caught, so they avoid anything that could slow them down.
  • Porches, Doors and Landings are Easy to Access
  • In many homes, both in the suburbs and in urban settings, it is only a few feet or a few yards from the street to the doorstep. Often, there are no gates, fences or barriers of any kind. Anything that makes packages harder to access is a deterrent to package thieves.
  • Packages are Easy to Carry and Hide
  • Thieves and porch pirates like the fact that once they steal the package it is easy to carry and easy to conceal. When they can grab a package and put it in a backpack, or even under their shirt, it makes them less likely to be caught. They don’t want to be seen carrying anything.
  • The Potential Value is Worth the Risk
  • What’s in the package? Actually, thieves don’t know. They are gambling on the fact that high-end items are often shipped to people’s homes. They perceive the potential reward is greater than the risk. When the risk factor is increased, like attempting to access a delivery box, they begin to gamble less often.
  • No Entry or Breaking In is Necessary
  • Some thieves will walk past an open garage or open car window without taking anything. Why is that? Many believe that the act of entering a space or breaking into a space will mean far harsher penalties if they get caught. To them, an unprotected package on a porch is not only an easy thing to steal, but a less risky thing to steal if they get caught.

The Facts About Package Theft and Porch Pirates

  • An estimated 23 million Americans have had a package stolen. 11 million last year alone.
  • Three out of four package thefts occur when the homeowner is away, but one out of four happen when someone is home.
  • The average value of a stolen package is $140.
  • There are an average of 17 incidents per 1,000 people in metro areas.
  • Police make arrests in less than 10% of reported theft cases.