Shoppers spent a record $13 billion on Cyber Monday making it the biggest online shopping day ever.
But it isn't just you waiting for those deals to arrive at your door.
Thieves are, too.
In Mansfield, a man dressed in a vest and appeared to be a delivery driver in mid-November when police say he swiped at least eight packages from homes in less than four hours. Police are still trying to identify the man seen driving a blue four-door sedan with a rusty top.
“Porch piracy, we've noticed in the last couple years that's been a problem, kind of an annoyance for everyone,” said Daniel Delgado, data analyst for Safewise.com.
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Safewise.com recently released its annual package theft report which found porch pirates cost Americans nearly $16 billion dollars in 2023.
Out of more than 300 metro areas in the U.S., Dallas-Forth Worth ranked the eighth worst for package thefts.
“That represents an estimated value of about $151.2 million in porch piracy last year for 2023,” explained Delgado.
Who pays for packages stolen by porch pirates?
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If a package is delivered to your front door and then stolen, the responsibility generally falls on the recipient. However, retailers have different policies for handling stolen items and many will offer a replacement or a refund.
Safewise.com says DFW had more than 1.1 million incidents of stolen packages in 2023 affecting about 1/3 of all households.
“Dallas is kind of right there, kind of lining up with the national averages as well,” said Delgado.
To avoid becoming a victim, police and Safewise suggest having packages sent to work if you can, requiring a signature for delivery or using a package locker or a delivery hub.
“Our message at the end of the day is don't let the porch pirates win. Keep ordering, keep getting your stuff but know what to look for to protect yourself and your property so that you get all your gifts on time for the holiday season,” said Delgado.
Safewise says it can cautiously conclude that porch piracy has reached its peak since the rate of package thefts held steady year over year.
