What to do after porch pirates?

What to do if you get your porch pirated?

File a police report

If you seriously suspect you've been hit by a porch pirate, and something was stolen from your stoop, call the police and file a police report for the stolen package. Without witnesses, they won't be able to do much, but they'll take note of the incident.

Do porch pirates ever get caught?

Porch pirates are hard to catch.

One source claims that police make arrests in less than 10% of reported theft cases. More often than not, law enforcement will suggest that you simply get a refund for your package instead of embarking on a wild goose chase.

Are you liable for porch pirates?

There's no one answer for who bears responsibility for porch thieves. It's a legal gray area and varies by retailer. Large companies like Amazon prioritize refunds and replacements after a report of porch piracy. Other retailers have followed suit as consumers have learned to contact the seller rather than carriers.

Do porch pirates follow delivery trucks?

This includes being watchful for any strangers who are going onto porches for no apparent reason, or following delivery trucks. Ask the shipper to hold your package at their facility. Most offer this service. Track deliveries online.

What Happened When We Tracked Porch Pirates Using GPS in Packages

Who is responsible if a porch pirate steals your package?

If it appears that your package has been stolen, contact the seller or retailer that sold you the item. Retailers have different policies and processes for handling stolen items, but you're usually entitled to a refund or a replacement.

How do I keep my porch pirates from stealing my packages?

Can I do anything about porch pirates?

Require a Signature for Delivery

Another way to thwart porch pirates is to ask that someone sign for a package when it's delivered, such as a person at your home or a next-door neighbor. “Requiring a signature for delivery means that the carrier won't just drop it on your porch.

Is porch piracy a felony?

Package theft is now a felony in 8 states and counting as lawmakers crack down on 'porch piracy' Package theft is a staple of the e-commerce age, and is more common in some states than others. Efforts to up the penalty for package theft are controversial.

How many packages are stolen by porch pirates?

'Porch pirates' stole an estimated 260 million packages in the last year. How to prevent theft on your doorstep. Online sales are nearly 15% of retail sales, a share that's higher than pre-pandemic, which means more opportunities for “porch pirates” to strike.

How much money is lost in porch piracy?

However, Safewise estimates around $19.5 billion is lost to package theft every year. Its survey showed that 79% of Americans were victims of porch pirates in 2022, and that over half of them had more than one package stolen.

How common is porch piracy?

Package Theft Victims

So far in 2022, almost 1 in 7 (14%) Americans have fallen victim to porch pirates – some more than once. Most (67%) have had one package stolen, 22% have had two, and 11% have had three or more stolen.

How do I stop package thieves?

Does USPS take pictures of delivery?

How does Informed Delivery work? As mailpieces travel through the USPS^® network, they go through high-speed sorting machines, which take a picture of the front (the side with the address). Informed Delivery shows you grayscale images of those mailpieces arriving soon to your address.

Will Amazon help if your package was stolen?

Does Amazon Replace Stolen Packages? The short answer to this question is "most often, yes." Amazon offers a guarantee called "The A to Z Guarantee." This guarantee offers an added level of security for customers making their purchases. The A to Z Guarantee protects purchases sold or fulfilled by third-party sellers.

Do porch pirates go to jail?

The footage can serve as helpful evidence in a porch piracy case. A conviction for theft can lead to penalties, such as imprisonment and fines. You should immediately contact an experienced criminal defense lawyer if you are arrested or charged with package theft.

Has anyone gone to jail for piracy?

A 26-year-old California man who pleaded guilty last December to criminal copyright infringement charges was sentenced today to 87 months in federal prison -- the longest U.S. sentence ever for software piracy -- for his role in illegally copying and selling pirated software (download PDF).

Do people actually go to jail for pirating?

Criminal charges may leave you with a felony record, accompanied by up to five years of jail time and fines up to $250,000. You may find this surprising.

How much does Amazon lose to porch Pirates?

According to the 2022 Package Theft Report from SafeWise [*]: “260 million packages worth over $19 billion dollars were stolen by porch pirates over the last 12 months.”

How do porch pirates get caught?

The best way to catch a porch pirate is with a camera that recognizes packages and people. You can see our favorite doorbell cameras and outdoor cameras.

What happens if you get caught stealing packages?

And package theft isn't just a matter of inconvenience or disappointment, either; if you're caught stealing packages, you could face serious fines or even jail time. That's because crimes that have to do with the post office and mail can carry special punitive measures.

What do people do when they steal packages?

They may keep your package, sell it in a pawnshop or Craigslist, or even re-gift the item. As package theft continues to increase, it doesn't mean you've got to sit by and wait to become a victim. You can do many things to help prevent package theft, especially during the holiday season.

Why do porch pirates steal?

Porch pirates likely hope that small packages contain expensive items that can be resold, such as phones, video game systems, sound systems, or computers. Some people might simply have a compulsion towards theft that drives them to seek out the thrill of stealing.

Does USPS insurance cover stolen packages?

Either the sender or the recipient may file a claim for insured mail that is lost, arrived damaged, or was missing contents. The person filing must have the original mailing receipt. Each claim must be filed within a certain time period and include proof of insurance, value, and damage.