Package Theft

Introduction

Commerce around the world is shifting rapidly. Consumers purchase a wide variety of items online and have products delivered directly to their residences. The type and value of items shipped have also shifted and now include televisions, phones, computers, jewelry, and even groceries. In short, the volume of items shipped each day is dramatically increasing, and so is the value of these shipments.

As a result, a new form of crime has emerged and is gaining popularity—porch piracy. Not only has this crime captured the attention of social media and news organizations, but now police, retailers, the supply chain industry, and shippers are taking note as the frequency and destructive nature of this crime cannot continue unopposed.

Unfortunately, we know little about how this crime is committed, where and when it occurs, who is responsible, or how victims respond. Until recently, there was no definition for package theft. What is more, most police departments do not track package theft.

Identifying methods and techniques to prevent package theft is challenging without answering these fundamental questions. This is where my journey began; leveraging the skills and experience from a career in policing with the research capacity of a university and a focus on environmental criminology to address this emerging type, package theft.

Package Theft: “Taking possession of a package or its contents, outside of a residence or business, where it has been commercially delivered or has been left for commercial pick-up, with intent to deprive the rightful owner of the contents.” (Hicks, Stickle, Harms, 2020)

To learn more about package theft and porch pirates, review the scholarly publications, practitioner articles, and related media appearances below. My team and I are available for consulting, media interviews, and assisting any organization interested in tackling the problem of package theft.