Before I get into some CRAZY stats about how many goods were stolen this year...let me clear up what "porch piracy" is.

Porch piracy is the act of stealing packages that are left on someone's "porch," front steps, walkway, etc.

You know how Amazon and Uber Eats just leave your goods on your stoop? Well if someone steals that before you even see it, that is porch piracy.

According to a National Desk article, 120 million packages were stolen throughout the U.S. in 2023. Even crazier is the worth of the 120 million packages...

Nearly 16 billion dollars of goods were stolen in 2023 alone in the US.

According to the National Desk, about one-quarter of Americans have been a victim of porch piracy. Of that 1/4 of Americans, many likely lived in New England.

Boston, Massachusetts is the 9th worst city for porch piracy. Of course, NYC is the #1 worst overall (no shock there).

What can you do to prevent such heinous crimes?

1. Don't leave packages out. Obviously, you do not have a say when Amazon comes; however, if you can help it, try and get your packages away ASAP. Or, if you have a close neighbor who works from home, ask them to move them inside.

2. Require a signature.

3. Have your packages dropped at the local post office.

4. Have a camera - and a sign on your door that tells potential thieves that you have a camera. That's one deterrent.

As the holidays are upon us, watch out for porch pirates - especially if you are from the Boston area...

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