{"id":28472,"date":"2017-09-24T18:45:07","date_gmt":"2017-09-24T18:45:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.parcelpending.com\/?p=28472"},"modified":"2023-06-13T07:35:24","modified_gmt":"2023-06-13T07:35:24","slug":"top-5-facts-about-package-theft-and-how-to-prevent-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.parcelpending.com\/en-gb\/blog\/top-5-facts-about-package-theft-and-how-to-prevent-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 5 Facts About Package Theft and How to Prevent It"},"content":{"rendered":"

Do you know what’s scary? The fact that an estimated 23 million Americans have had at least one package stolen from their front porches or mailboxes<\/span>1<\/sup><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tune into your local news network and you’ll surely see video footage of what’s known as “<\/span>porch<\/span> pirates,” or <\/span>package thieves<\/span>, stealing packages in <\/span>plain sight<\/span> off doorsteps across the nation. With 77% of consumers now wanting their online purchases delivered to their homes<\/span>2<\/sup><\/span>, and what is poised to be a record year for online holiday shopping on the horizon<\/span>3<\/sup><\/span>, the <\/span>package theft<\/span> problem isn’t likely to go away any time soon.<\/span><\/p>\n

Porch theft is a common crime because porch pirates don\u2019t have to be particularly skillful as most packages are left in plain sight on a resident\u2019s porch. <\/span>So, <\/span>how to prevent package theft in apartments<\/span>?<\/span> If you want to learn how to deter package thieves, prevent package theft, and reduce crime in your community, it may be a good idea for your community to invest in a parcel delivery system, such as <\/span>smart parcel lockers<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read on to find out about some important package theft statistics, get some package theft prevention strategies, and learn more about the benefits of using smart <\/span>apartment parcel lockers<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>mailboxes in UK<\/span><\/a> to effectively prevent package theft by a porch pirate in your community.<\/span><\/p>\n

Package Theft Statistics<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Here are the top five scary facts about package mail <\/span>theft<\/span> and how to prevent it:<\/span><\/p>\n

#1 It’s more common than you think<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Porch pirating is a massive issue across the United Kingdom, according to Citizens Advice 5.5 million consumers have a parcel stolen every year. Police data from our 2022 freedom of information request<\/span><\/a> shows the average stolen parcel is worth more than \u00a3115. Apartment communities with parcels left in the lobby <\/span>or in <\/span>communal area facilities <\/span><\/a>can be a target for porch pirates since they take the opportunity to get their hands on multiple parcels at once.<\/span><\/p>\n

#2 Consumers will go to great lengths to ensure the safe <\/b>delivery<\/b> of their packages<\/b><\/h3>\n

According to a 2017 Shorr Packaging Corp. survey, 53% of respondents said they changed their plans so they could be home to receive a package from a <\/span>delivery person<\/span> even though the <\/span>delivery instructions<\/span> didn’t require a <\/span>signature<\/span>. The survey also revealed that 20% of people will leave work early if they are expecting a <\/span>delivery<\/span>4<\/sup><\/span>. Enlisting a <\/span>trusted neighbour<\/span> can help in some cases, as they are able to monitor for and accept deliveries on your behalf. However, this <\/span>delivery option<\/span> is not <\/span>available <\/span>for every community or consumer.<\/span><\/p>\n

#3 Some people avoid online shopping entirely out of fear of <\/b>package theft<\/b><\/h3>\n

Shorr Packaging’s survey also revealed that 41% of people say they have avoided some purchases from online retailers for fear of <\/span>porch<\/span> pirating or <\/span>package theft<\/span>.<\/span> Buy Online, Pickup in Store (BOPIS)<\/span><\/a> is a growing way to avoid the threat of <\/span>porch<\/span> pirates altogether. BOPIS allows consumers the convenience of online shopping and the flexibility of getting their packages \u2013 often from an in-store <\/span>locker<\/span>, such as an <\/span>Amazon locker<\/span> for an <\/span>Amazon package<\/span> \u2013 on their own time.<\/span><\/p>\n

#4 Package theft<\/b> peaks during the holiday season<\/b><\/h3>\n

There\u2019s no denying that the holiday season brings a massive influx of deliveries, and thereby a correlating increase in package theft. In fact, <\/span>an <\/span>apartment <\/span>building <\/span>or complex <\/span>could see as many as 486 package deliveries per week during the holiday season<\/span>5<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This is important for <\/span>the <\/span>property manager<\/span> to be aware of as the number of packages they receive typically increases from an average of 150 packages per week to 270 packages per week during the holidays \u2013 an 81% increase even during \u201cnormal\u201d times<\/span>7<\/span>. And more package deliveries typically mean more package theft.<\/span><\/p>\n

#5 Neighbourhood watches and <\/b>home security<\/b> cameras don’t help<\/b><\/h3>\n

While it would be nice to think that having a neighbourhood watch or a home security system would deter suspicious activity and package theft, the sad reality is that this just isn\u2019t the case. A video doorbell camera, home security camera, or home security system can serve as a partial deterrent for <\/span>the <\/span>porch pirate<\/span>, but they rarely provide leads about the porch piracy for police to follow when footage of suspicious activity is handed over to law enforcement. Additionally, a lock box on your porch can be costly, hard to install, take up valuable space on your porch, and may even block your door.<\/span><\/p>\n

Smart Parcel Lockers: the Best Tool for Package Theft Prevention<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If you are wondering how to avoid package theft, smart lockers are the answer. Investing in a parcel locker with a smart lock is the best apartment solution for properties interested in preventing package theft. Parcel lockers are electronic smart lockers that can accept deliveries directly from a courier, automatically provide delivery alerts for recipients, and allow for easy, contact-free, and self-service pick-up around the clock, making them a secure solution for <\/span>renters<\/span> and property managers alike.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nobody, property staff or resident, wants to deal with lost or stolen packages, especially during the holidays. Unfortunately, these things sometimes happen and, as a rule of thumb, a seller is responsible for a <\/span>delivery<\/span> until it reaches the buyer and the <\/span>delivery company<\/span> lists the package as “delivered” or “notice left.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Residential Parcel Lockers<\/span><\/a> offer peace of mind to all parties by ensuring the safe delivery of packages and online orders. Consumers are able to receive what they ordered securely and at their convenience, retailers don\u2019t have to worry about replacing or refunding missing items, and property managers no longer need to worry about liability for <\/span>any <\/span>stolen<\/span> package<\/span> that goes missing from the mailroom or lobby area.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Today\u2019s <\/span>parcel lockers<\/span><\/a> combine modern software and hardware technologies to enable a smooth package delivery process for every delivery driver, who can interact with the lockers with their existing handheld devices to assign a delivery to the appropriately-sized <\/span>package <\/span>locker <\/span>and quickly confirm delivery with their respective delivery company. A secure access code is then automatically texted or emailed to the recipient, who can enter it into the screen on the <\/span>package<\/span> locker <\/span>to open the appropriate door and retrieve their package whenever they want \u2013 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s nearly impossible to have complete security when a package is delivered right to your doorstep. The sad truth is that a <\/span>package <\/span>thief <\/span>can snatch it at any moment, leaving you without your package and in some cases, no way to get a refund. However, when using a parcel delivery system, such as a smart parcel locker, you can rest easy knowing that your deliveries will be safe and out of harm\u2019s way.<\/span><\/p>\n

Preventing Package Theft with Smart Parcel Lockers from Parcel Pending<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Parcel Pending<\/span><\/a> offers a wide range of <\/span>apartment <\/span>complex<\/span> package management<\/span> solutions that ensure the simple and secure delivery and retrieval of packages and online orders. Our smart lockers help property managers to enhance their residents\u2019 overall experience, save valuable staff time, drive resident retention, and, most importantly, prevent package theft.<\/span><\/p>\n

Additional benefits include:<\/span><\/p>\n