Package theft is an act of stealing of goods and parcels that have been delivered. With the uptick in e-commerce, many consumers have countless packages shipped to their homes. A package theft can occur anywhere in the distribution channel including theft of packages left at the doorsteps or porch of a household. If the recipient is absent when the parcels are delivered and if they are left unattended, they then become easy targets for porch pirates who readily swipe them off before you could even realize it.
Deliverysafe.com mentions that according to Google search data, there was a significant spike in people searching for “stolen package” related keywords when the pandemic initially broke out. Package theft is a crime of opportunity that rarely ends in arrest – unless a home has security systems, the police often have little evidence to follow.
Increased e-commerce spending has undoubtedly fueled package theft, but so has a lack of serious deterrence. Let us get into an in-depth analysis of this persistent issue, its consequences, and measures to prevent the same in this article below:
Intriguing facts about Package Theft
Package theft is defined as taking possession of a package or its contents, outside of a residence or business, where it has been commercially delivered or has been left for commercial pick-up, with intent to deprive the rightful owner of the contents. Package theft statistics have some interesting facts to point out:
Package theft is more common than you think. According to a study commissioned by ValuePenguin, package theft has affected more than 40% of Americans at some point. A recent survey found that 26% of Americans have had a package stolen from their doorstep.
Package thefts peak during the holiday season. As delivery companies face increased shipments for the holidays, a Signifyd report shared with Retail Dive found that porch package thefts have risen to 87% in December so far compared to the previous year.
Package thefts still occur inspire of consumers going great lengths to ensure safe delivery of their packages. People are trying a number of strategies to protect their orders. During the 2020 holidays, C+R Research found that 64% of people stayed home for their deliveries in an attempt to keep them safe, while 24% took advantage of in-store pickup. 24% installed a video doorbell or surveillance system, 19% requested a signature for deliveries, and 13% had their orders sent to a delivery center.
Neighborhood watch and home security cameras don't help. While security cameras can deter thieves from stealing, they still may not prevent package theft from occurring. Along with that, a neighborhood watch isn't a foolproof package theft prevention mechanism either.
Some people avoid online shopping entirely out of fear of package theft. A study points out that 23.8% of respondents claimed that fear of theft made them avoid making expensive online purchases among other findings.
As the online shopping trend continues to rise over the coming years and packages start arriving daily to American homes, it will be increasingly important to find ways to secure these packages.
Tips and tricks to prevent Package Theft
Package theft is a growing problem. As online shopping has become more popular, the rate at which packages are stolen from customers’ porches has also risen. In fact, a 2022 study from Security.org showed that 49 million Americans had a package stolen just in the last year, and the trend is showing no signs of stopping.
No one can stay home indefinitely waiting for their packages to arrive, but how can they be sure a thief will not swipe them off the doorstep? Here are some tips that can help prevent package thefts:
Track the packages after ordering so that you know when they arrive. Subscribe to delivery alerts, provide delivery instructions, and require a signature upon delivery.
Have the delivery person leave the package at a less obvious location, the back door rather than on the front porch.
Enlist your neighbor’s help - It might be a good idea to talk with a few trusted neighbors ahead of time and agree to pick up each other’s packages if they are delivered when the recipient is not present.
Keep the delivery area visible and some of your home security measures obvious. For instance, keep your porch or front door in clear view. An open, visible delivery area makes it easier for neighbors to see that something has been delivered and harder for thieves to casually swipe a delivery with nobody noticing.
Carefully consider where to have the packages delivered. - A study reports 41.9% consumers reported having their orders sent to an address other than their home to protect them. For instance, a package receiving and package acceptance service is the best solution for you to have your parcels shipped to an alternative address for safekeeping until you wish to pick them up.
How is Stowfly Package Receiving and Package Acceptance Service a feasible solution to deal with Package Theft?
Stowfly is a comprehensive network of package receiving and package acceptance service that facilitates an easy, convenient way to get packages delivered to a location near you. These locations could either be your neighborhood coffee shop, convenience store, restaurant and so on to receive packages on your behalf.
All you need to do is look for a Stowfly location near you, book a convenient location as your secondary address and start receiving packages. Stowfly safely receives and holds packages for you until you wish to retrieve it from them.
With Stowfly you need not worry about budget overrun as it costs only $4 for each delivery or $7.50 per month for a subscription. Along with this all bookings are insured up to $1000 to give you that extra peace of mind. Let package theft and stolen packages not be of concern to you hereafter.
You can book a Stowfly package acceptance and package receiving service for receiving packages from Amazon,UPS,Fedex ,USPS or for any other shipping companies. Book a Stowfly and forget about all your package related hassles! Check this blog for more details on Stowfly’s package acceptance services.