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Porch piracy is no longer a fringe crime. It is so commonplace that only people who have dropped out of society completely have never heard of it. Perhaps you know about porch piracy but have never been a victim. Well, I have some bad news for you: it’s probably only a matter of time.
Of course, I cannot guarantee that porch pirates will victimize you. But data cited by Vivint Smart Home suggests that half of all Americans have either been victimized themselves or know someone else who has been hit. But that’s not all. Among people who shop online during the holiday season, 80% report either being a victim or knowing one.
Right now, the crime of porch piracy shows no signs of slowing down. So with the numbers as high as they are, I stand by my prediction that it’s only a matter of time before nearly all of us have been victimized at least once.
Fast, Simple, and Easy
I will be honest and say that I was surprised the first time I heard about port piracy. I was surprised anybody would be so brazen as to walk up to a porch in the middle of the day and steal a package or two. But when I stopped and considered it in more detail, I realized just what a brilliant crime porch piracy is. Think about it.
Many residential neighborhoods are virtually empty during the daylight hours. Mom and dad are at work while the kids are in school. If there are any shift workers at home, they are likely sleeping. It is the perfect environment for a crime that is fast, simple, and easy to pull off without getting caught.
No Noise, No Attention
Porch pirates have a distinct advantage in their crime of choice. That advantage is being able to pull off package thefts without making any noise. Ask a burglar how he feels about that. Even if it is just the quick sound of a window breaking, burglars always run the risk of drawing attention to themselves by making noise. That risk for porch pirates is negligible.
People are used to hearing cars in the neighborhood. They are used to the sights and sounds of delivery vans making their rounds. A typical porch pirate is not going to arouse suspicion merely by driving into the neighborhood and getting in and out of his car. All the noises he might make would be normal sounds local residents have learned to tune out.
What the porch pirate is counting on is that no one is watching. Sounds can be ignored. But if a neighbor sees a porch pirate grabbing a package and running back to his car, the image cannot be unseen. Nonetheless, the risk is worthwhile.
No Need to Be Picky
Another advantage to porch piracy is that there is no need to be picky. Burglars tend to be selective about what they steal because they need to be able to move stolen merchandise on the street or in pawnshops. Porch pirates turn around and sell what they steal online. They put the stuff up on eBay.
This reality gives porch pirates the luxury of taking packages without discrimination. The goal is to nab as many packages as possible in a single trip. Then you take them home and open them up. Most of what you have stolen can be put up for sale. Items that do not have enough value go right to the trash.
Here is the thing: most of the items people buy online have market value. That’s why they are being purchased and delivered. So the chances of a porch pirate spending all day plying his trade and coming up empty is pretty slim. He is going to find at least a few items that bring in the dough.
Consequences Don’t Matter
The uncomfortable thing here is that consequences do not seem to matter to some porch pirates. I once read a news story about a family falling victim to a porch pirate who had no idea the package he swiped contained lifesaving medication. The medication was for a Nevada child whose condition required special medication that couldn’t be purchased at the local pharmacy.
I have read numerous similar stories since then. Imagine being a thief so callous that you could steal someone’s medication and not have the courage to return it. That is cold. And yet this sort of thing happens all the time. Victims are losing more than just luxury items. They are also losing necessities, some of which have a profound impact on the victim’s life.
How to Protect Yourself
All of this leads to the inevitable question of how to protect yourself against porch piracy. The easiest and most effective way to fight back is to not have packages delivered to your home when you are not there. It is inconvenient, but it’s the one solution that always works. A porch pirate cannot steal packages that aren’t there.
One way to implement this solution is to have packages delivered to a commercial package locker. Most of your major cities offer locker locations. I know there are three or four within ten miles of my home. If there aren’t any near you, arrange to have your packages delivered to the home of a friend or family member.
Some experts recommend video surveillance cameras as a deterrent. They may work against some porch pirates, but they do not work against all of them.
Make It as Hard as Possible
Short of not having packages delivered when you’re not home, no one solution will prevent porch piracy. Therefore, the key to protecting yourself is making the crime as hard as possible to commit without being caught.
Porch pirates are criminals who aren’t looking to be arrested and thrown in jail. So if you increase the chances of that happening, you’ll also increase the chances of being left alone. Remember: it’s only a matter of time.