Eye Opening Package Theft & Port Pirate Statistics (2025)

Published On: Apr 22, 2025

Package theft, commonly referred to as porch piracy, has become an increasing concern as more consumers turn to online shopping. With over half of Americans receiving deliveries at least once a week, the opportunities for theft are also on the rise. It is estimated that 1.7 million packages are stolen every day, resulting in significant losses for both consumers and businesses.

Approximately 44 million Americans have experienced package theft, with the average stolen package valued at $140. In New York City alone, around 90,000 packages are reported stolen daily. Furthermore, only about 11% of package thieves are caught, leaving many victims to absorb the costs themselves, often spending nearly $200 to replace their stolen items.

In this blog, we will explore critical package theft statistics for 2025. We will examine current trends, including the frequency and financial impact of package thefts, as well as the demographic factors and geographic areas that are most affected.

Package Theft Statistics 2025 Top Picks

  • Over 33% of Americans had a package stolen in the past year.
  • In 2023, the estimated financial losses due to package theft amounted to $16 billion.
  • 79% of package theft victims have had multiple packages stolen in the past twelve months.
  • 33.2% of individuals who reported package theft have experienced the theft of an Amazon delivery.
  • $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.

In the past three months, 44 million Americans have fallen victim to porch pirates

The data shows that package theft has been a common problem in the U.S. from 2020 to 2023. Around 4045% of people said they've had a package stolen at some point. Fewer people, between 17% and 22%, said it happened to them recently. The highest numbers were in December 2020, likely because more people shop online during the holidays.

As of October 2023, 44% had ever experienced package theft, and 17% had faced it recently. This shows that while not everyone deals with it often, package theft is still a big issue for many.

Around-44-of-Americans-have-encountered-package

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

Year % of people who've ever had a package stolen % of those who've recently had a package stolen
May 2020 41% 19%
August 2020 41% 19%
October 2020 40% 19%
December 2020 45% 22%
July 2021 40% 17%
October 2021 42% 19%
October 2023 44% 17%

Source: Security.org, Capital One Shopping

Most common methods to prevent package theft

45% of people try to prevent package theft by scheduling shipments for when they're home, making it the most common method. 38% have installed a doorbell camera, while 24% prefer shopping in-store or using in-store pickup to avoid doorstep deliveries.

The least popular option is using a service like Amazon Key that delivers packages inside the home, with only 3% of people using it. Only 6% of people leave work during breaks to bring their packages inside. This shows that people mostly go for easy and practical ways to keep their packages safe, while fewer choose more complicated or high-tech options.

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

Strategies % of Respondents
Schedule shipments for when you are home 45%
Installed doorbell camera 38%
Shop in-store or online with in-store pickup 24%
Installed external lights or signs 20%
Have neighbors bring packages inside when you’re not home 18%
Have packages shipped somewhere besides the home (such as the workplace, access point, etc.) 17%
Installed security system 14%
Have packages delivered to someone else 8%
Leave work during lunch/breaks to bring deliveries inside 6%
Use a service that delivers inside the home such as Amazon Key 3%
Nothing 14%

Source: Security.org

Where did victims report their most recent package thefts?

57% of people said they reported their most recent package theft to the retailer where they bought the item, and the same number also reported it to the delivery company, like UPS, USPS, or FedEx. These were the most common ways people reported package theft.

The least common response was doing nothing at all, with 9% of people saying they didn't report the theft anywhere. This shows that most people choose to report package theft directly to the seller or delivery service.

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

How did people prefer to report their package theft % of Respondents
The retailer where the item was purchased 57%
The delivery company (such as UPS, USPS, or FedEx) 57%
Local law enforcement 27%
Online neighborhood group or message board 20%
Doorbell camera providers, such as Amazon Ring 17%
Social media 16%
None of the above 9%

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.

 

18 percent

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

HOW WORRIED ARE SHOPPERS ABOUT HOLIDAY SEASON PORCH PIRACY

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

Factors % of Respondents
Own a doorbell Camera 44%
Don't own a doorbell Camera 19%
Items Valued at $1-$49 25%
Items Valued at $50-$99 31%
Item Valued at $100+ 46%

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

 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

Shipping Delivery Services % of Package Theft Victims
Amazon 52%
USPC 43%
UPS 38%
FedEx 25%
DHL 10%
Others 3%

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

States Median Value of Stolen Packages
Alaska $80
Rodhe Island $80
Oklahoma $77
Mississippi $75
Nebraska $75
New Hampshire $75
South Dakota $75
Wyoming $75
Delaware $69
Hawaii $66
Illinois $35
Louisiana $35
New Jersey $35
Arizona $30

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

States Larceny per 100,000 people Google Searched per 100,000 people
New Hampshire 158 60
Oklahoma 168 18
Delaware 341 12
Iowa 139 20
Colorado 147 18
Kansas 107 31
Washington 113 18
Oregon 129 13
Minnesota 319 10
Missouri 168 11
Tennessee 224 7
Arkansas 151 12
Massachusetts 102 14
Alabama 151 8
Rhode Island 78 40

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.

 package thefts by sex

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.

Thefts by generation

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.

Have you ever had a package stolen outside your home

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.

Have you ever had a package stolen outside your homeee

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.

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

Actions Taken by Buyers After Package Theft % of Buyers
Received a replacement from the seller 47%
Received a refund from the seller 37%
Receive a refund from the carrier 15%
Recovered the original package 6%

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.

Have you ever had a package stolen outside your homee

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

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<div class='toc'><ul><li><a href=#Package-Theft-Statistics-2025--Top-Picks><b>Package Theft Statistics 2025 Top Picks</b></li><li><a href=#In-the-past-three-months,-44-million-Americans-have-fallen-victim-to-porch-pirates><b>In the past three months, 44 million Americans have fallen victim to porch pirates</b></li><li><a href=#Most-common-methods-to-prevent-package-theft><b>Most common methods to prevent package theft</b></li><li><a href=#Where-did-victims-report-their-most-recent-package-thefts><b>Where did victims report their most recent package thefts</b></li><li><a href=#18%-of-Americans-have-had-a-stolen-package-with-a-gift-for-someone-else><b>18% of Americans have had a stolen package with a gift for someone else</b></li><li><a href=#62%-of-shoppers-are-more-concerned-about-porch-pirates-during-the-holiday-season><b>62% of shoppers are more concerned about porch pirates during the holiday season</b></li><li><a href=#Owning-a-doorbell-camera-and-losing-a-valuable-item-are-the-main-factors-motivating-theft-reports-to-the-police><b>Owning a doorbell camera and losing a valuable item are the main factors motivating theft reports to the police</b></li><li><a href=#Distribution-of-Package-Theft-Victims-by-Location><b>Distribution of Package Theft Victims by Location</b></li><li><a href=#Most-Commonly-Stolen-Packages-by-Carrier><b>Most Commonly Stolen Packages by Carrier</b></li><li><a href=#Median-Value-of-Stolen-Goods-by-State-in-the-US><b>Median Value of Stolen Goods by State in the US</b></li><li><a href=#States-with-the-Highest-Package-Theft-Rates-in-the-U.S><b>States with the Highest Package Theft Rates in the U.S</b></li><li><a href=#Package-Theft-By-Gender><b>Package Theft By Gender</b></li><li><a href=#Package-Theft-by-Generation-><b>Package Theft by Generation </b></li><li><a href=#Value-of-stolen-items-by-Gender><b>Value of stolen items by Gender</b></li><li><a href=#23%-of-adults-say-they-had-a-package-stolen-in-the-last-12-months><b>23% of adults say they had a package stolen in the last 12 months</b></li><li><a href=#$8-Billion-is-the-estimated-value-of-the-stolen-package-in-the-past-year><b>$8 Billion is the estimated value of the stolen package in the past year</b></li><li><a href=#Package-Theft-Loss-Recovery><b>Package Theft Loss Recovery</b></li><li><a href=#Package-Theft-Statistics-Across-US-States><b>Package Theft Statistics Across US States</b></li><p>  <a href=#Alabama>Alabama</p><p>  <a href=#Alaska>Alaska</p><p>  <a href=#Arizona>Arizona</p><p>  <a href=#Arkansas>Arkansas</p><p>  <a href=#California>California</p><p>  <a href=#Colorado>Colorado</p><p>  <a href=#Connecticut>Connecticut</p><p>  <a href=#Florida>Florida</p><p>  <a href=#Georgia>Georgia</p><p>  <a href=#Hawaii>Hawaii</p></ul></div>

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