In this day and age of technology and cameras, it’s almost impossible to steal a neighbor’s packages undetected. And when you do get caught, expect an embarrassing backlash at best and a ruined life, at worst.
This entitled Karen almost experienced both when she was caught in the act. However, she didn’t get her comeuppance in one fell swoop. It happened through a series of events, from a sweet and ingenious petty revenge plot by the neighbor she stole from.
Package theft has been on the rise in recent years
Image credits: Robert So/Pexels (not the actual photo)
This woman experienced it courtesy of her neighbor living across from her in an apartment complex
Image credits: Elle Hughes/Pexels (not the actual photo)
She didn’t know who was doing it at first, until she caught the perpetrator in the act
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With the evidence she collected, she chose to exact petty revenge instead of reporting to the authorities
Image credits: Freepik (not the actual photo)
Her genius plot worked, as “Cassie” never stole from her again
Image credits: Curious-Mongoose-435
Porch pirates amassed billions of dollars’ worth of stolen goods in 2024
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According to this November 2024 report, package thieves stole around $12 billion of goods in the past year alone. These numbers were based on a survey of 11,000 adults around the United States, where a quarter reported having a package stolen.
On top of that, 13 million people experienced package theft within the last three months since the report’s release. The average value of stolen items was $204, accounting for almost $3 billion in e-commerce merchandise.
Experts like Security Explorer president Jack Berry point to the “growing reliance on e-commerce” as one of the primary reasons for the rise of package thefts. He also noted that homeowners put themselves in a position to be stolen from.
“Such negligence makes their homes easy targets for burglars and increases the chances of package theft,” Berry told E-Commerce Times, revealing that 42% of Americans leave their doors unlocked and 15% do so even when they are not home.
Buying in bulk online became rampant during the COVID-19 pandemic when many people sought “retail therapy” to cope with their anxieties. However, it also made package theft more sophisticated and organized.
“Initially an opportunistic crime, the rise in home deliveries has turned it into a business for some perpetrators,” retail operations professional Suni Shamapande said.
Keeping packages from being noticed is an effective way to deter theft
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Having a package delivered to your doorstep does make life more convenient. However, it also makes your precious items a magnet for thieves, like cow dung to a swarm of flies.
One way to prevent yourself from being a victim of package theft is to remove that convenience.
This is why SafeWise.com security systems researcher Rebecca Edwards advises keeping packages hidden from plain sight by signing for deliveries or using a package locker. As she tells PBS, the locker can be a hub in your town or neighborhood, or one on your porch.
“Unfortunately, these porch pirates make us have to go out of our way to avoid them,” she said, adding that consumers must adapt to how criminals run their business.
Fortunately for the author, however, the package thief was someone living across from her. In her case, the revenge plot would have been a stronger message than reporting a petty crime to the authorities. And it worked out well for her.
Readers shared their advice as the author responded to comments
Others shared similar experiences
However, some disagreed with her approach
