Crime of Opportunity

Porch piracy is a crime of opportunity.  An unattended package is an open invitation to passersby and those so inclined to steal it.  And sadly, the incidence of parcel theft is increasing even as online purchasing and delivery of those purchases is increasing.

Consequences of Parcel Theft

The resulting frustrations of parcel theft, though not as severe as a home break-in or invasion, are similar in nature.  There is the invasion of privacy, as well as the resulting financial burden of replacing lost property, plus the unfortunate consequences of losing time sensitive shipments.

Assessing Risk

Some questions to consider when assessing the risk of porch piracy:  What is the value of the items being shipped to me?  How much disruption would the theft of these items cause me?  Are these items time sensitive, and how would losing these things to a thief affect me?  What emotional upset will I experience with the loss of these purchases, especially if they are gifts?

Cameras

While capturing the image of a porch pirate in the act of stealing parcels may have some value, a security camera does not prevent such theft from taking place, and realistically, solving parcel theft crimes is very low on police priorities.

Action Plan

Just as we look to the future and take action to remediate risk in other areas of our lives such as insurances, have a Parcel Garage installed and protect your packages from thieves and bad weather.