Eye Opening Package Theft & Port Pirate Statistics (2024)

Package theft, also known as porch piracy, has become a growing concern as more consumers rely on online shopping. With more than half of Americans receiving deliveries at least once a week, opportunities for theft are increasing. It's estimated that 1.7 million packages are stolen every day, leading to significant losses for both consumers and businesses.

Approximately 44% of Americans have had a package stolen, with the average stolen package valued at $140. In New York City alone, about 90,000 packages are stolen daily. Moreover, only around 11% of package thieves are caught, leaving many victims to cover the cost themselves, often spending nearly $200 to replace a stolen package.

In this blog, we will look into crucial package theft statistics for 2024. We'll examine current trends, including the frequency and financial impact of package thefts and the demographic factors and geographic areas most affected.

Package Theft Statistics 2024 – Top Picks

• In 2023, nearly 40 percent of Americans experienced having packages stolen.
• $8 billion is the estimated total value of stolen packages in 2023.
• Nearly 60 million Americans report being victims of package theft.
• $74 billion in e-commerce purchases are anticipated this holiday season, yet only 68% of shoppers have taken preventive measures against theft.
• 52% of package theft victims had their packages stolen from Amazon.
• $143.45 is the average amount spent on security measures to prevent package theft.
• 49% of shoppers are concerned that their online orders will be stolen.

44% of Americans have experienced a package theft

Around 44% of Americans have experienced package theft at some point, with 17% reporting a theft in the past three months. By October 2023, the percentage of those who've ever had a package stolen increased to 44%, while recent thefts remained at 17%.

By the end of 2024, nearly 46% of people could face package theft, with recent thefts leveling off at 17-18% due to improved prevention efforts.

Below is the table displaying the percentage of those experiencing package theft

Source: Security.org, Capital One Shopping

44 Million Americans Targeted by Porch Pirates in the Past 3 Months

Nearly 44 percent of Americans have encountered package theft at some point. In the past three months alone, 17 percent of Americans, or approximately 44 million people, have experienced their packages being stolen.

Source: Security.org

Precautions against package Theft

38% of buyers prefer to schedule shipments for when they are home to prevent package theft. The second most popular method, used by 30% of respondents, is installing doorbell cameras. Additionally, 24% of buyers choose to shop in-store or opt for in-store pickup to reduce the theft risk.

In contrast, only 2% use services like Amazon Key, delivered inside the home, making it the least common approach. This highlights the need for greater awareness and adoption of theft prevention strategies to improve package security.

Here is a table showing the strategies people use to prevent package theft

Source: Security.org

Most People Report Package Theft to the Store or Company Where They Made Their Purchase

When reporting package theft, 64% of respondents preferred to contact the store or company where they purchased the items. Another popular option is contacting the parcel delivery company, such as UPS, USPS, or FedEx, chosen by 54% of respondents.

On the other hand, the least common methods include reporting theft to doorbell camera providers, like the Amazon Ring app, used by just 3% of respondents, and using social media, chosen by only 5%.

Here is a table showing the preferred methods for reporting package theft

Source: Security.org

18% of Americans have had a stolen package with a gift for someone else

18% of Americans have experienced having a package stolen that contained a gift intended for someone else. This situation not only results in financial loss but also adds emotional distress, as the theft affects both the giver and the intended recipient of the gift.

Source: Security.org

62% of shoppers are more concerned about porch pirates during the holiday season

6 out of 10 shoppers are moderately or slightly concerned about porch pirates during the holiday season, with 26% being extremely or very concerned. Only 12% are not at all worried. This distribution shows that the majority of consumers are attentive to the risk of package theft during the busy holiday period.

Here is a graph showing how concerned shoppers are about holiday season porch pirates

Source: Security.org

Owning a doorbell camera and losing a valuable item are the main factors motivating theft reports to the police

46% of package theft victims report incidents to the police when the stolen item is valued at $100 or more. The second most common factor is owning a doorbell camera, with 44% of those having one reporting theft. In contrast, only 19% of those without a doorbell camera report theft, making it the least common factor for victims to report to the police.

Here is a table showing why package theft victims report to the police

Source: Security.org

Distribution of Package Theft Victims by Location

Suburban areas report 43% of package theft incidents, closely followed by urban areas with 42%. In contrast, rural areas account for only 14% of thefts. This indicates that package theft is nearly as common in suburban areas as it is in urban areas, with rural areas experiencing significantly fewer thefts.

Here is a chart showing how package theft victims are distributed by location

Source: Capital One Shopping

Most Commonly Stolen Packages by Carrier

52% of package theft victims reported their stolen packages were from Amazon, making it the carrier with the highest percentage of theft incidents. The second and third highest rates of theft were associated with USPS, at 43%, and UPS, at 38%.

In contrast, DHL had the lowest percentage of theft incidents, with only 10% of victims reporting stolen packages from this carrier. Other carriers combined accounted for just 3% of theft incidents.

Here is a table showing the percentage of Americans who experienced theft with each carrier

Source: Forbes

Median Value of Stolen Goods by State in the US

Alaska and Rhode Island have the highest median value of stolen packages, at $80. Followed by Oklahoma, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and South Dakota, each with a median value of $75.

In contrast, Arizona has the lowest median value at $30. Other states with high median values include Oklahoma, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and South Dakota, each with a median of $75.

Here is a table showing the median value of stolen goods across US states

Source: Forbes

States with the Highest Package Theft Rates in the U.S

New Hampshire has the highest package theft rate, with 158 larcenies per 100,000 people and 60 related Google searches per 100,000 people. Followed by Oklahoma at 168 and Delaware at 341 with 18 and 12 searches respectively. These states experience the highest incidences of package theft.

On the lower end, Rhode Island reports the fewest thefts among the top 15 states, with 78 incidents. These variations suggest areas where theft prevention and public awareness efforts should be prioritized.

Here is a table of the top 15 states with the highest package theft rates

Source: Forbes

Package Theft By Gender

82% of men reported not experiencing package theft in the last 12 months, while 18% said they had. For women, 73% reported not experiencing package theft, and 27% said they had. This indicates that a higher percentage of women have experienced package theft compared to men.

Source: Finder

Package Theft by Generation

Among package theft victims over the past 12 months, Generation Z experienced the highest theft rate, with 37% reporting theft, while 63% did not.

Generation Y follows next with 29% reporting theft and 71% stating they did not experience theft. Baby Boomers reported the lowest theft rate, with only 9% experiencing theft and 91% not affected.

Source: Finder

Value of stolen items by Gender

Women report higher package theft rates for items valued between $50 and $99, with 33% affected, compared to 27% of men. Conversely, men are more likely to experience theft of higher-value items, particularly in the $100 to $149 range, where 28% of men and 27% of women were affected.

The lowest theft rates are for items valued at $250 or more, with 8% of men and 6% of women reporting losses.

Source: Finder

23% of adults say they had a package stolen in the last 12 months

2 out of 10 adults report having stolen a package within the past 12 months. In contrast, approximately 77% of adults have not faced any problems with package theft during the same period. This disparity shows the need for targeted measures to address package theft in the areas where it is most common.

Source: Finder

$8 Billion is the estimated value of the stolen package in the past year

In the past three months, 44 million people have reported package theft, with the median value of each stolen parcel at $50.

This results in a cumulative loss of $2.2 billion for just one quarter. Over the past year, the total cost of package theft has exceeded $8 billion.

Source: Security

Package Theft Loss Recovery

47% of buyers who experienced package theft received a replacement from the seller, while 37% were refunded by the seller. In contrast, only 15% managed to get a refund from the carrier, and just 6% were able to recover the original package.

This data indicates that buyers most commonly address theft by seeking replacements or refunds from sellers, with refunds from carriers and recovering the original package being less frequent outcomes.

Here is the table showing the actions taken by buyers after package theft

Source: Capital One Shopping

Package Theft Statistics Across US States

New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Delaware, Iowa, and Colorado are among the worst states for package theft, experiencing 147 to 158 theft incidents per 100,000 people. In contrast, states like New York, Illinois, and Florida have the lowest risk, with only 2 to 3 theft incidents per 100,000 people, indicating much lower rates of porch piracy.

Alabama

• 24% of individuals living in the East South Central region (Alabama) reported having a package stolen in the last 12 months.
• 28% of theft victims stated that the value of the stolen items was between $50 and $99.
• Alabama ranks as the 14th worst state for porch pirates with 151 larceny per 100,000 people.

Alaska

• 32% of residents in the Pacific region (Alaska) report having a package stolen in the last 12 months.
• 34% of those who experienced package theft reported that the value of the stolen items was between $100 and $149.
• Alaska is ranked 38th among U.S. states for package theft, with a rate of 55 incidents of larceny per 100,000 residents.

Arizona

• 21% of residents in the Mountain region (Arizona) reported having a package stolen in the past 12 months.
• 31% of theft victims stated that the value of the stolen item was between $50 and $99.
• Arizona is ranked 46th in terms of package theft, with a rate of 35 larceny incidents per 100,000 residents.

Arkansas

• In the West South Central region, 22% of Arkansas residents reported having a package stolen in the last 12 months.
• 40% of theft victims in Arkansas reported that the value of the stolen item was between $50 and $99.
• Arkansas is the 12th highest state for package theft in the U.S., with 151 incidents per 100,000 residents.

California

• 32% of people in California report experiencing package theft in the past 12 months.
• 34% of theft victims in California state that the package value was between $100 and $149.
• California ranks 47th in the nation for package theft, with only 4 larceny incidents per 100,000 people.

Colorado

• 21% of residents in Colorado (Mountain region) reported experiencing package theft in the past 12 months.
• 31% of those who had their packages stolen in Colorado stated that the stolen items were valued between $50 and $99.
• Colorado ranks among the top 5 worst states for porch piracy, with 147 reported larcenies per 100,000 residents. This high rate highlights significant concerns over package theft in the state.

Connecticut

• 17% of residents in Connecticut reported having a package stolen in the last 12 months.
• 23% of theft victims in Connecticut stated that the value of the stolen item was between $0 and $49.
• Connecticut ranks 18th among U.S. states for package theft, with 119 larcenies reported per 100,000 people.

Delaware

• In Delaware, 22% of residents reported having a package stolen in the past 12 months.
• Among those who experienced package theft in Delaware, 36% of victims reported that the stolen items were valued between $100 and $149.
• Delaware ranks as the 3rd worst state in the US for package theft, with 341 larceny incidents per 100,000 people.

Florida

• 22% of Florida residents in the South Atlantic region reported having a package stolen in the last 12 months.
• Among 22% who experienced package theft in Florida, 36% stated that the stolen items were valued between $100 and $149.
• Florida ranks 50th in the nation for porch piracy, making it the least affected state, with just 2 incidents of larceny per 100,000 people.

Georgia

• In the South Atlantic region, 22% of residents in Georgia reported having a package stolen in the past 12 months.
• 36% of theft victims in Georgia stated that the value of the stolen items was between $100 and $149.
• Georgia ranks 44th in the U.S. for package theft, with a rate of 49 larcenies per 100,000 people.

Hawaii

• 32% of residents in Hawaii reported experiencing package theft in the past 12 months.
• 34% of theft victims in Hawaii reported that the value of their stolen packages was between $100 and $149.
• Hawaii is ranked 36th in the US for package theft, with 65 theft incidents reported per 100,000 residents.

Source: Finder, Forbes