Parcel thefts from UK doorsteps soaring, new figures reveal

Try to avoid delivery options that allow parcels to be left outside the door. Photograph: Mstock/Alamy

Online shoppers are being advised to opt for named-day delivery services, or consider collecting their package, in the wake of a surge in doorstep parcel thefts. The problems are being blamed on the fallout from the Royal Mail strike, and the return to the office.

The number of claims for missing parcels jumped by 59% in the year to June compared with the previous 12 months, according to figures from the technology firm Metapack.