Medford Police Warn Public To Watch Out For Package Thieves

By Diane Megaw On Nov 14, 2024

MEDFORD, Ore. — Package thieves, or so-called porch pirates, are people who steal packages delivered to homes before the owners pick them up. This trend has increased and ramped up over the holiday season. The Medford Police Department (MPD) has reminded the public to be on the lookout for these predators.

Medford Police Suggest Ways To Protect Packages From Porch Pirates

With the holiday season coming up, many people are buying holiday essentials and gifts online, making this a potentially busy season for opportunisic porch pirates as the packages often contain valuable items.

MPD suggests that strong relationships with neighbors allows more flexibility for securing packages. Surveillance cameras are also a good way to protect packages when installed pointing towards the delivery area.

The video evidence can also help the police with their investigation.

MPD receives a wide range of theft calls at this time of year. MPD’s Lieutenant Geoff Kirkpatrick suggested some ways to protect packages from package thieves:

Always try to be home when your package is being delivered.
Track your packages and know when they will arrive- especially expensive packages.
When you have ordered valuable items like laptops, make sure someone is there to receive them.
Security devices like cameras and motion lights should be installed to deter somebody wanting to take something off your porch.

Package thefts are increasing- almost 40 percent of Americans had a combined 115 million packages stolen from them in 2023.

Other ways to protect yourself against porch pirates include scheduling deliveries if the courier has such a feature, insisting on a signature, having packages delivered to a P.O. Box or locker service, and insurance is sometimes available when ordering online.