Over the last year, Americans have been dealing with more than just the supply chain when it comes to receiving packages. They’ve also been losing packages to thieves.
According to a survey from SafeWise and Cove Home Security, an estimated 210 million packages were stolen over the last 12 months in the U.S.
The survey, which was published earlier this month, found that 64.1% of respondents have had at least one package stolen from their porch in the last year. Meanwhile, 53.5% of respondents have had multiple packages stolen over the same period of time, SafeWise and Cove reported.
The survey also found that more than half of the stolen packages cost between $50 and $200.
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During the holidays, porch thefts are going to be even more of a concern as people order their gifts online and have busier holiday schedules, according to one criminal justice and package theft expert.
“Package theft is a crime of opportunity,” Dr. Ben Stickle, a member of the SafeWise advisory group, said in the report. “The more packages left for longer periods of time on a porch, the more likely they are to be stolen. As the Christmas gift season gets into full swing, there will be a significant increase in packages on a porch.”
According to a survey from SafeWise and Cove Home Security, an estimated 210 million packages were stolen from Americans’ homes over the last 12 months. (iStock)
“Add to that, people are busier this time of year and have their routine shifted as they may work later and spend more time away from home shopping or visiting with family and friends, so packages are left sitting exposed on the porch for longer,” Stickle added.
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According to the report, more than 54% of survey respondents plan to shop online more this year than they did last year and 39% of respondents reported having packages delivered several times a week.
64.1% of survey respondents have had at least one package stolen in the last year, while 53.5% of respondents have had multiple packages stolen over the same period of time, the survey found. (iStock)
Americans are also more concerned about porch thefts this year, with 72% of respondents saying that the coronavirus pandemic has made them “more concerned about porch piracy,” the report said. According to the survey, that’s up by 9 points from last year.
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In its report, SafeWise said that if someone does steal your package, you should file a police report, include any security footage you might have and contact the sender in case you can get a free replacement.
The survey also found that more than half of the stolen packages cost between $50 and $200. (iStock)
People can also file claims with the carrier who delivered the package. According to SafeWise, FedEx, UPS and the USPS all have ways that customers can file claims for stolen or damaged items.