The Grinch was working overtime last holiday season — research group SafeWise reports that more than 120 million packages were stolen in the U.S. in 2023.
Lawmakers are taking steps to decrease crime by increasing penalties, according to NPR. Florida, for example, is doling out harsher penalties for package theft, and a bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives that would apply the same federal penalties for mail theft to stealing deliveries from Amazon and other private companies.
As government and law enforcement officials figure out how to make package thieves pay for their crimes, here are some tips to prevent your porch from becoming a target.
Ship incognito
“Brands on boxes make targets more tempting as it provides clues to what could be inside,” Ben Stickle, a criminal justice administration professor at Middle Tennessee State University, told NPR. Amazon has an option to ship items in a plain box. Always click it if that option is available.
Get motion lights and a camera
Having a well-lit porch surveilled by a security camera is a good deterrent. They aren’t a fail-safe (we’ve all seen Ring footage of brazen thieves grabbing goods on camera) but they do assist law enforcement in identifying and hopefully apprehending the criminals.
Related: Connecticut Couple Accused of $1 Million Lululemon Crime Spree
Give Amazon instructions
Amazon allows (and encourages) customers to leave instructions to drivers about where to leave packages, so take advantage and pick a spot that is out of view from the street. Prime subscribers in some areas can have packages placed inside their garages.
Deliver to an alternative trusted spot
If you likely won’t be home when packages get delivered, Stickle recommends enlisting a neighbor or family member who is typically home to help. Have the packages delivered to them and pick them up later. Alternatively, have packages delivered to your job or a parcel locker. Requiring a signature will ensure no packages get left unguarded.
Report but don’t engage
If you spot a pirate in the act of swiping your stuff, yelling at them to scare them off is advised — but don’t open the door and physically engage with them. Call the police immediately, Stickle advises, and write down any descriptive details about the person and their vehicle. No package is worth the risk of physical harm.
Related: Hacker Who Leaked GTA 6 Sentenced to Life in Psychiatric Hospital
