By: Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno
With the surge in online orders comes an obvious rise in the number of packages left on doorsteps and porches…and the number of villainous individuals plotting to pilfer your parcels.
A national news agency recently reported that an estimated 120 million packages…$12 billion worth of online orders…were stolen in 2024. This practice of theft has become so common that there are a number of online videos depicting competing porch pirates attempting to steal the same package. Additionally, there have been reports of piracy victims chasing these criminals, only to be injured in the process.
While less convenient, and perhaps a bit more tedious, there are a number of mechanisms that online shoppers can use to either deter, or completely prevent, these thefts. In years past, we recommended video doorbells with the belief that thieves would never attempt to steal when the act would be captured on video. That theory has proven to be inaccurate as one can go online and view thousands of porch pirates captured on video by way of these doorbells.
Many online sellers offer an option to “require a signature.” This will ensure the safe delivery of your package, however, this may require a number of delivery attempts if you are not at home. Major online retailers offer some form of package tracking. Being aware of an anticipated delivery affords you the opportunity to be at home or to ask a neighbor to pick up the parcel. Online sellers, such as Amazon, allow you to choose a pickup location instead of your home address. Similarly, “Ship to Store” offers the same level of security.
