Maybe you don't do any online shopping whatsoever, and therefore have nothing to fear from those who swipe packages off of front porches in and around Rockford.

However, if you're like most people, you do shop online, and you may have already been visited by Rockford's "porch pirates."

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A New Study Shows An Incredible Amount Of Americans Have Fallen Victim To Porch Pirates

Finder.com recently published the results of a study on front porch package theft and the victims of those thefts, and I'll admit to being somewhat surprised by the high numbers. According to Finder.com's numbers:

  • Roughly 14% of Americans say they’ve been victims of package theft in the last 12 months
  • That 14% equates to about 35.5 million Americans
  • The average value of items reported stolen is $156.82
  • In total, Americans lost about $5.4 billion from package theft over the past 12 months courtesy of porch pirates
Three packages are delivered to the frint stoop of a residential house.
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Cardboard package delivery at front door during the holiday season
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The Rockford Better Business Bureau Says That Rockford's Porch Pirates Have Been Busy This Holiday Season

Dennis Horton is the director of the Rockford Regional Office of the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and during his visit with us this week he told us that the BBB is getting plenty of calls about front porch package theft (porch pirates):

Scammers are hoping shoppers are busy, distracted, or away from home more often during the holidays. That’s when package thieves can strike fast. Most consumers love the convenience of making purchases online and having them shipped straight to their doorstep. But with millions of packages delivered each year, con artists and thieves have developed many ways to steal from shoppers.

Blonde woman in disguise shot in Moreno Valley, California in February of 2021.
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Here Are A Few Tips For Protecting Your Packages From The Porch Pirates

Take precautions to ensure a safe delivery: If you are having a valuable or fragile item delivered to your home, purchase shipping insurance. In addition, always get tracking numbers for your purchases and check the shipping progress periodically.

Watch out for texts, calls or emails about a missed delivery. Legitimate delivery services usually leave a “missed delivery” notice on your door. If you receive a missed delivery notice, examine the form carefully to make sure it is authentic and only then follow their instructions.

Request a Signature: Chances are this feature may come with a price tag, but it may be worth the extra fee.

Open your delivery upon receipt to check for damage or signs of tampering. Contact the seller immediately if you believe something is wrong with the shipment or if it’s not what you ordered.

This dude has come up with an interesting way to stop porch piracy:

The Most Bizarre Items Ever Stolen From Illinois Residents

My mom once told me that "people will steal anything that's not nailed down." Times certainly have changed since then. The thieves now have nail removers.

20 of The Best and Worst Illinois Mugshots

Say cheese, Illinois!

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