A recent study has revealed that roughly 250,000 packages get stolen from U.S. households every day, costing Americans an estimated $15 billion over the past year.
Over 104 million packages were stolen nationwide over the past year, an apparent decline for the first time in recent years, according to a November study by safety research company SafeWise.
While porch pirates cost Americans roughly $15 billion over the past 12 months, retailers paid an even steeper price of $22 billion, according to data collected by ZFLO Technologies.
The number of estimated package thefts dropped by about 16 million this year, from 120 million in 2023 to about 104 million in 2024-2025, according to the study.
Cities that saw the biggest financial toll from package thefts included Chicago, New York City, Miami, Houston and Baltimore, according to the study.
The study also found that 31 percent of people surveyed had a package stolen within the past year. A shocking 75 percent of respondents said they had more than one package stolen.
The average cost per package stolen is about $143, up about eight percent from 2024.
The study found that mid-range thefts were increasing while lower-value thefts were on the decline – possibly reflecting economic and inflation trends as consumers are spending more on average than in years past.
Atlanta resident Tonya Sheppard told CBS News she had a package stolen by a porch pirate – with the theft caught on surveillance footage.
“I think you have to order online in this day and time, but I do try to be more mindful about when things are coming,” Sheppard said.
While her order can be replaced, Sheppard said she is being more vigilant about what she’s buying online and when it is expected to arrive.
“I think of people who couldn’t afford to re-buy packages, you know what I mean? Or what if you had a kid and it was that one present and that’s what got taken off your porch,” Sheppard said.
People can also take steps like installing a security camera to deter porch pirates.
“We stick with the three Ds: deter, detect and deny,” Nick B. Thomas of Ackerman Security Systems told CBS. “On the porch, if you have some sort of light associated with your camera, they’re not going to test it. You want the burglar to say, ‘Uh-uh, I ain’t doing that.'”
Meanwhile, SafeWise is urging consumers to “shrink” the opportunity for package thefts through things like “interactive tech, smart tracking, secure delivery, and community awareness.”
