How Common is Package Theft?

As 8 in 10 Americans now shop online, home package delivery is rising fast and furiously. With this increase in parcels at the doorstep, package theft has also been on the rise.  Frank Albergo, president of the Postal Police Officers Association, recently said, "Mail theft is at epidemic proportions; it's never been higher."

So how common is package theft? Here we delve into some key stats, trends, legal activity, and consumer behavior to further understand the prevalence of porch piracy.

Key Package Theft Statistics

According to a 2020 C+R Research study, here are the latest stats on stolen packages:

• 43% of Americans have been a victim of package theft
• 61% say they know someone who has had a parcel taken
• 43% say they know a neighbor who was victimized
• $136 is the average cost of a stolen package

Package Theft Interest Continues to Rise

Taking a close look at Google trends, it shows that interest in package theft on the web has continuously risen over the last year. 

source: Google Trends

According to Google search data, there was a significant spike in people searching for “stolen package” related keywords when the pandemic initially broke out.

In fact, these searches were higher than at any non-holiday time since Google Trends first made this data public in 2004. In addition, the data showed a 1.7 times increase in interest for these terms since May 2019 and  a 2 times increase since May 2018.  

Law Enforcement Policies Show the Shift

In Bellevue, Washington, police saw a 72% increase in mail theft in November 2020 compared to the previous year. With similar police reports like this streaming in from across the country, law enforcement departments, like the ones in Everett and Spokane, Washington, are reacting with additional techniques to deter package theft and catch perpetrators. Within the last year, Texas, Michigan and Oklahoma have all enacted stronger legislation to punish porch pirates and South Carolina and New Jersey are likely to follow. 

Rise in Package Theft Prevention Reveals the Problem

As 52% of Americans were worried a package would be stolen during the holiday season, they prepared to prevent the possibility in a number of ways. In fact, 64% survey by C+R Research said they would stay at home to wait for their items to be delivered. Here’s a breakdown of other ways they chose to prevent porch thieves:

The Lockable Package Box Emerges for Prevention

While there are several ways in which people are preventing package theft, the lockable package box is perhaps the best and most convenient way to ensure packages will always be protected.  It’s kind of like a mailbox for your delivered goods. You’ll see a handful of these in the market, but the clear market leader in terms of quality and ease-of-use is DeliverySafe.

You just place it on your front porch or driveway, then give the delivery driver a key code to open it and place packages in it. Its ice pack version also has the bonus of standing in as a cooler for perishable groceries that are delivered while you’re away.

The Ultimate Report on Package Theft in America

This article is part of our full report on package theft in America. Here are all of the blogs posts on this topic:

1. How Common is Package Theft?
2. Where and When Does Package Theft Occur?
3. Who are the Victims of Package Theft and Are You at Risk?
4. Who are Porch Pirates?
5. Who is Responsible for Package Theft and What is Being Done About It?
6. How to Prevent Package Theft
7. What is the Impact of Package Theft on Online Shopping?
8. 4 Steps to Take When Your Package is Stolen
9. A Complete Look at Package Theft Statistics