Over the past year, about 210 million packages have been stolen from porches all across America. With the increasing online availability of things we need and want, package theft will continue to rise in prevalence.
Seattle is one of the top five major metro cities with the most package theft. This ranking was determined by SafeWise, who found this data by analyzing 2020 FBI larceny-theft data which is then compared to Google Trends data in areas with the highest number of searches for “missing package” and “stolen package.” Denver and Seattle dropped from the list in 2020 but returned in 2021 with significantly higher numbers than 2019.
According to a survey from SafeWise, over 54 percent of Americans plan to shop online more than they did the previous year, which is 20 percent lower than last year. 39 percent of survey respondents said that they have packages delivered several times a week. Over three in four Americans have been a victim of package theft in their lifetime.
Some steps you can take to prevent or combat package theft include using a home security system (such as a door camera), staying in contact with your neighbors using an app, and adding special delivery instructions for package carriers. If you ever have your package stolen, remember to file a police report and contact both the retailer and carrier. Always remember that package theft is a crime of opportunity, so take that opportunity away.
