By Jasmin Jose
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service , or USPIS, reports mail and package theft is a persistent issue. Between 2018 and 2023, postal inspectors arrested nearly 9,000 suspects related to mail and package theft crimes. Additionally, USPS handles billions of mail items annually, making theft a notable concern, especially in densely populated areas like Los Angeles and New York City.
The best protection against porch piracy is vigilance, creative preventive measures, and collective action within their communities.
As people across the U.S. continue to embrace online shopping, package theft remains a persistent threat, calling for heightened community awareness, and preventive action. Policymakers and law enforcement are urged to develop targeted strategies to curb this rising crime, while consumers must adapt by safeguarding their deliveries more effectively.
To protect yourself from future package theft, consider investing in secure delivery solutions. Options include using a lockable parcel box, requesting delivery to an alternative secure location’—like a workplace or a nearby Amazon Hub locker—or requiring a signature for delivery. Home security systems, such as doorbell cameras, can also act as both deterrents and evidence collectors. Regularly monitoring delivery updates and promptly retrieving packages can further minimize the risk. Additionally, utilizing services like USPS Hold for Pickup or arranging delivery times when you’re home can reduce the chances of theft.
If you discover that a package has been stolen, the first step is to check your surroundings thoroughly to confirm it wasn’t delivered to a hidden or alternative location. Then, contact the delivery company immediately to report the theft and provide tracking information. Many companies—like Amazon, FedEx, and USPS—offer policies or programs that may refund or replace stolen packages if theft is verified. Additionally, it’s recommended to file a police report for documentation purposes—while it may not lead to immediate recovery, it helps local law enforcement track patterns of theft. If the package was insured, contact the insurer to initiate a claim.
To avoid packages being stolen, it’s recommended to install security cameras, require delivery signatures, use parcel lockers, or arrange alternative delivery locations, which can reduce the likelihood of theft. Community watch initiatives and shared neighborhood surveillance also help in monitoring suspicious activity.
Certain cities face disproportionate risk. The top 10 worst cities for package thefts are San Francisco, Seattle, Austin, L.A., Fresno, Milwaukee, Portland, Sacramento, New Orleans, and Hartford. Many people rely on surveillance cameras, yet arrests remain rare. For example, despite dozens of video-captured thefts, L.A. Police Department data reveals there were only 25 arrests in 2023 related to package theft. However, efforts like deploying “bait packages” equipped with GPS trackers have shown promise in catching repeat offenders but remain limited in scope.
Deliveries from major carriers like Amazon, USPS, and FedEx are frequently targeted due to their ubiquity. The rise of e-commerce, with a projected 17.9% increase in online orders in 2024, exacerbates this problem.
The problem tends to be worse during holidays—like Christmas and Valentine’s Day – when the volume of online shopping surges. An estimated 210 million packages are stolen annually across the U.S., costing consumers over $19.5 billion.
This story was produced by the LA Post and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
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Kirk, what a *wonderful* homophone!
President Putts / Putz.
With Trump gutting the USPS you can expect this problem to increase.
Most likely the problem will get worse. I put in a full array of cameras completely around my property after the second of two packages had been stolen from the top of the steps on my front porch. It’s really unfortunate because long-time workers who regularly come to my house (cleaning person, pool service, gardener, and Marborg workers) feel like they are being watched. I try to explain that the cameras were not installed because of them, but I’m pretty sure they do not believe me.
Always add that bit of speculation to what you post.
Anon: That is exactly what my neighbor said (not about the post, but about the speculation). Good observation/call!
2006 history of USPS given a mandate to fund its pensions thru 2056 will give you perspective.
It ain’t Trump.
It’s destruction is at the hands of Fed X, UPS etc. to take control of all postal jobs.
I see the UPS man a lot more than I see the USPS
PAEA
Yes, that was a con mandate from congress in an earlier attempt to kill the Postal Service and privatize it.
…which is probably the best move and likely will happen eventually.
Not in the real world.
Your “real world” Post Office is looking like a giant $ loss operation. Times change. I think you’re wrong, that’s all. See if they can right their ship.
It’s the US Postal Service. It’s a service, not a business, and was never meant to be a profit center for social parasites.
I think you’re missing the point, which is that it shouldn’t be LOSING massive amounts of money, which is the reality and why there are people considering privatization.
It’s not losing money. It’s a service – it costs money. Do you expect the US Navy, for example, to earn a profit somehow?
No, it IS losing money, massively.
The USPS is reporting a loss of 9.5 BILLION dollars in ‘24. How’s that sound to you? They’re eating it. They’re probably not even including pension debts, but hey – it’s pure bad.
Your attempted armed forces comparison is beyond clueless.
You just don’t understand the concept of service. Not everything is a moneymaking proposition, except in the sociopathic con world.
If it is privatized it will not even serve many rural communities in the US because it won’t be economically feasible. You can’t make any money driving hours up long country roads every day just to deliver a few letters and postcards, so no private company will even do it.
That’s why the government does it, and why it’s called a public service. It’s not designed to be profitable, but our uber-transactional President Putts and his ilk cannot even conceive of the benefits of such an operation. We are seeing millions of erstwhile sensible people imitating him and willfully adopting a blindness towards all the benefits of public service. He and all those who support him are making our country much, much worse in so many ways.
Informational: The VA uses the USPS to deliver most all my meds as well as other items, which when I’m notified of said shipment works out really well. The package I got yesterday actually fit in the mailbox (sorta nice that it didn’t matter that FOLDING it to fit in there 🙂 , not so much when they us “Other carriers”… Was sort of worried as I haven’t yet got part II of that shipment, hoping it shows up today?