Porch Piracy Spikes as Locked Down Residents Increase Online Spending Apparently, online retail isn’t the only industry that’s thriving during the coronavirus pandemic. Authorities say porch piracy has climbed to an all-time high. While stay-at-home orders have caused most crime to drop in cities all over the country, thieves have found gold mines on people’s porches as more residents have taken to shopping online. One of the reasons for the uptick in delivery thefts is drivers have been instructed to avoid touching doorknobs and gate handles, says Robert Arcos, the assistant chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. As a result, more packages are being left in plain sight, rather than behind gates or inside screen doors. To avoid being ripped off, authorities are advising purchasers to track their expected deliveries online and retrieve them from their porches as quickly as possible. They’re also telling drivers to notify police if they believe they’re being followed, which is a common practice for porch pirates waiting for merchandise to be dropped off. Have you been victimized by a porch pirate since the pandemic began? What’s the most expensive thing that’s been left on your front porch?
