With almost $1 billion in losses final yr, New York Metropolis is the worst metro for package deal theft in the USA, in line with a latest report.
The annual examine by SafeWise estimates that 120.5 million packages have been snatched off American porches in 2023, leading to a complete lack of almost $16 billion.
In greenback phrases, New York Metropolis was hit the toughest by porch pirates, with $945 million in losses final yr. Philadelphia ($450 million) and Chicago ($262 million) have been subsequent on the checklist. Washington, D.C. ($232 million), and Houston ($207 million) rounded out the highest 5 in SafeWise’s annual rating.
However cities with the very best monetary losses weren’t essentially these with essentially the most package deal theft incidents. Of the highest ten worst cities for package deal theft, Cleveland, had essentially the most thefts per capita — almost 1,400 per 1,000 households. That implies thieves struck the identical homes a number of occasions.
Different repeat scorching spots included Beckley, W.Va. (2,391 incidents per 1,000 households); Sizzling Springs, Ark. (2,107 per 1,000); and Goldsboro, N.C. (1,880 per 1,000), in line with Safewise.
The vacation season — which has already seen a surge in on-line procuring this yr — presents much more alternatives for package deal thieves.
“People are busier this time of year and have their routine shifted as they may work later and spend more time away from home shopping or visiting with family and friends, so packages are left sitting exposed on the porch for longer,” Ben Stickle, a professor at Center Tennessee State College and package deal theft knowledgeable, stated within the report.
Many People are taking further steps to guard their on-line orders, rerouting packages to safe lockers or looking for out condominium buildings with package deal rooms.
Amongst these surveyed by SafeWise, 84 p.c stated they added a deterrent after their package deal was stolen, with safety cameras or video doorbells being the most typical. Others stated they’re working with neighbors to ensure they obtain their packages.
The report additionally had some excellent news: the variety of swiped packages barely elevated from the yr earlier than, up solely about a million. SafeWise concluded that the small improve was possible attributable to inhabitants development reasonably than a leap in crime.
“With package theft rates holding steady, we can cautiously conclude that porch piracy may have reached its peak,” the 2024 report stated.
Earlier package deal theft leaders like Seattle, San Diego, and Portland, Ore., all noticed decrease rankings this yr.
The corporate recommends these 5 tricks to preserve your packages secure:
Choose into supply alerts
Require signatures
Make different preparations (like a safe locker or a buddy)
Use safety expertise
Work with neighbors
SafeWise is an internet information to security and safety merchandise. The web site decided its annual rankings utilizing a mix of FBI crime statistics, an unbiased security survey and its propriety survey information.
These are the highest ten worst cities for package deal theft in 2024, in line with SafeWise:
Rankings are based mostly on the estimated greenback worth of all stolen packages within the space.
New York Metropolis: $945 million
Philadelphia: $450 million
Chicago: $262 million
Washington, D.C.: $232 million
Houston: $207 million
Atlanta: $155 million
Charlotte, N.C.: $152 million
Dallas-Fort Price: $151 million
Boston: $144 million
Cleveland: $133 million
