PHILADELPHIA — As online shopping has become increasing popular, so has porch piracy. The crime is on the rise across the country, as more and more victims watch recently delivered packages be stolen on doorbell cameras.
In Philadelphia, the 2,978 packages that had been reported stolen as of Dec. 6 represent a 16% year-to-date increase compared to 2021, police spokesperson Miguel Torres said, citing department data.
The number represents more than just consumer inconveniences. Porch piracy is a crime, one that across the river could land perpetrators in prison for up to five years under New Jersey’s Defense Against Porch Pirates Act, which was signed into law in January. Federal officials are on notice, too. A Porch Pirates Act that would make theft of any package a federal crime, as it is for theft of items delivered by the U.S. Postal Service, is pending in Congress.
