The proliferation of online shopping in recent years has democratized mail order package delivery for communities across the country, if not the world. Dark coloured Amazon trucks roaming suburban streets have become a fixture of suburban living, replacing the once famous ice cream truck.
But when deliveries are made to houses with no one home, drivers just drop-off packages on stoops, which then, inadvertently, makes anyone a potential victim of a trendy urban crime.
Porch package thieves, colloquially called ‘porch pirates’, can strike anyone, often doing so brazenly in the middle of the day, when victims aren’t home but their packages have been left outside.
The Cochrane RCMP said that, unfortunately, porch piracy is “fairly common” in a lot of urban and suburban areas. It’s a crime of opportunity, and police typically see an increase in that reported crime around the holiday season.
One Cochrane resident who lives in Riversong was made a victim when a pair of hoodie -wearing thieves snatched two boxes off a front porch in mid-April. A video recorded on a doorbell camera was posted to Facebook showing the thieves struck in broad daylight, around 1:00 pm.
Constable Bonnie Sauve, a public information officer with the Cochrane RCMP, said that the punishment for caught thieves varies from case to case, but usually the crime carries a charge of $5,000 or less.
Sauve said that even though the crime is becoming more common, there are still strategies that people can employ to help prevent their packages from being stolen.
Buyers of items that get dropped-off can request their packages get delivered to a secure delivery location, like to a neighbour’s house who is home, a friend, relative, or even a post office or private PO box.
The RCMP said that homeowners can also request a signature upon delivery, which they state ensures the package is delivered to the intended recipient. People out of the house who are expecting deliveries can track their packages online, which can allow them to plan to either arrive back home just as their deliveries do, or to have someone else pick them up for them.
Sauve said the RCMP also suggests the installation of cameras. “[Installing cameras] can deter but also provide evidence in the event your package is stolen and you want to report the theft,” she said.
The RCMP also recommends that communities lean on one another. Alerting neighbours about porch piracy or letting them know that deliveries are being made can make a community more vigilant to any potential crime.
Of course, it also helps to not have high-priced packages left unattended outside. “If you must have items delivered,” Sauve said. “Don’t have high priced items or items of significant value left on your porch.”
