Package Theft is Getting Worse, Here's What You Can Do About It

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How to prevent packages from being stolen

Having a package swiped is infuriating—but you don’t have to put up with it. Proactive security moves can help keep your goods out of the hands of porch pirates.

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Who's stealing this stuff anyway? And why?

Great questions! We sat down with package theft expert and criminologist Dr. Ben Stickle to learn more about porch pirates and why package thefts seem to be on the rise. Watch our interviews below.

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Meet our package theft expert

Ben Stickle

Image: Dr. Ben Stickle

Dr. Ben Stickle is a former sheriff’s deputy and crime scene processor. He’s an expert on policing, metal theft, and porch piracy. Ben has published dozens of academic publications and presented at both national and international conferences (including at the United Nations). He’ss also made prominent appearances in the media, including on Good Morning America and CSPAN.

What to do if a package is stolen

Sometimes—no matter what you do—a package still gets pilfered. We’ve got the steps to take if porch pirates sail away with your booty.

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Package theft statistics

Millions of packages are stolen every year, and it’s only getting worse as more people shop from home. It’s hard to get the full story about how often package theft happens, the value of stolen items, and the success rate for recovery because there’s no central way of tracking it in the US.

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How worried are people about package theft?

According to our State of Safety report, Americans worry more about having a package stolen than experiencing violent crime, gun violence, or any other property crime.

To help fill the gap, we’ve been studying package theft for the past several years. Our independent surveys and research have been featured by multiple outlets including CNBC, Marketplace, Woman’s Day, and First for Women magazine. Get the full story in our complete report: Worst Metro Cities for Package Theft.

Rebecca Edwards
Written by
Rebecca is the Managing Editor and lead safety expert at SafeWise.com, where she's been researching, testing, and writing about home and personal security for over 12 years. Her safety smarts come from both real life and professional experience—as a single parent trying out safety and security gadgets to protect her family and a former college director responsible for safety plans and strategies to keep buildings, grounds, and hundreds of students and faculty safe every day. With 30 years of experience as a journalist and blogger, she's become a go-to source for trustworthy, practical advice on everything from the best home security systems and smart gadgets to keeping kids safe online, preventing package theft, and understanding crime trends nationwide. PBS NewsHour, The Today Show, NPR, Vice, TechCrunch, The Washington Post, HGTV, Marketplace, On the House, and more have featured Rebecca's expert insights and recommendations. Whether it's protecting your home, your loved ones, or your peace of mind, Rebecca makes safety simple, doable, and real.

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