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.
With the last holiday gifts arriving on city stoops in the coming days, expect porch piracy reports to keep popping up on your neighborhood Facebook groups.
But police, UPS and FedEx spokespeople, and residents say steps can be taken to reduce the likelihood of your gifts getting swiped this week.
Sonya Kukcinovich Hill, 59, has been getting her Christmas gifts delivered to the Package Safe Club around the corner from her apartment in the Northern Liberties neighborhood. The $40-a-month service is worth it, she said, to alleviate what she calls “package theft.” She used to feel anxious whenever her phone would ping with a package-delivery notification.
“I was very lucky for a long time, and I only experienced two packages that never got to me,” she said. “Since then it really has been a matter of luck.”
In Fairmount, Gwen Baker said she feels fortunate to never have experienced package theft, and stays alert in the hopes of keeping it that way.
“If I’m ordering something, I make sure I’m home when I know it’s going to be coming,” she said. “Or a lot of times I use the Amazon Locker, at Rite Aid or Whole Foods,” where packages can get delivered to be picked up at a later time.
Baker, 45, said she has benefited, too, from getting to know neighbors in her building: If a package arrives unexpectedly, she’ll text a neighbor asking if they wouldn’t mind bringing it inside.
“We look out for each other,” she said.
Here are other tips from the Philadelphia Police, as well as officials at USPS, FedEx, and UPS:
Leave specific instructions
When placing your order, provide instructions for where to drop it off if possible. If you live in a house, this might mean advising the shipper that you want the package dropped off in a less visible location, such as at a side door, Torres said.
If your package is being shipped by FedEx, you can add do this via its online delivery manager. If it is coming via UPS, you can add delivery instructions online. Both services are free, and you can leave detailed instructions, such as to drop a package off behind a planter or in a shed.
If you want the item to come to your door, the police recommend requiring a signature for packages, Torres said.
Redirect the package
You can also use the FedEx and UPS online delivery managers to send packages elsewhere, such as to your office, a relative or neighbor’s home, or to a FedEx Office or UPS Access Point. The police advise shipping packages to a physical mailbox, such as a FedEx, UPS, or Amazon Locker pickup location.
Use security cameras
Police also recommend installing security cameras that alert you when someone is outside. If a package is stolen, video from these cameras can help in finding the suspect, Torres said.
Report missing packages
If you suspect a package may have been stolen, police advise residents to first check with the delivery company to make sure it was delivered.
“FedEx Express and FedEx Ground residential customers are now able to see picture proof of a completed delivery for packages that do not require signature,” said FedEx spokesperson Isabel Rollison.
Once you confirm that it was in fact delivered, Torres said, call police and file a report. Include any security-camera video or other evidence.
Contact the store to see what coverage they provide for stolen packages, Torres said, and then do the same with the shipping company. If both those options are fruitless, you can also try your credit card company, he added. Some provide coverage for package theft.
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