250,000 packages stolen per day, study finds, as lawmakers push stiffer penalties

Atlanta resident Tonya Sheppard says it happened to her in the middle of the day last month — a thief stole her packages on a busy street. Security footage shows the so-called “porch pirate” wave unsuspectingly to the camera, look to see if the coast is clear and then make off with her boxes. 

“I think you have to order online in this day and time, but I do try to be more mindful about when things are coming,” Sheppard told CBS News.

Sheppard’s packages were among the roughly 250,000 that are stolen nationwide every day, according to safety research company SafeWise. A study conducted by the firm estimated the total value of items lost in the past year alone at nearly $15 billion.

As online holiday shopping ramps up, seeing thieves take off with goods is on the rise and has even prompted lawmakers to mull over new legislation for stiffer penalties. New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer introduced the Porch Pirates Act, which would make stealing any package a federal crime and would carry fines of up to $250,000 and up to 10 years in prison. 

“Right now, only the U.S. Mail, mail handled by the USPS, is federally protected,” Gottheimer said at a news conference earlier this month. “So stealing a USPS package has particularly harsh penalties, penalties that packages delivered by UPS, Amazon, FedEx or DHL don’t have.”

Residents can also take steps to thwart package thieves themselves, said Nick B. Thomas, chief marketing officer of Ackerman Security Systems.

“We stick with the three Ds: deter, detect and deny,” Thomas said. “On the porch, if you have some sort of light associated with your camera, they’re not going to test it. You want the burglar to say, ‘Uh-uh, I ain’t doing that.'”

Sheppard said that while what she lost can be replaced, she’s being more vigilant about what she buys and when it arrives.

“I think of people who couldn’t afford to re-buy packages, you know what I mean? Or what if you had a kid and it was that one present and that’s what got taken off of your porch,” Sheppard said.