South Carolina among the US porch piracy hotspots, according to new study

Parcel theft has become a common cause of concern worldwide. Thieves steal online packages from doorsteps, especially around busy periods like Black Friday and the Holiday season.

To discover trends relating to package theft, a new study conducted by Compare the Market AU has revealed the US states with the highest rates of ‘porch piracy’. By comparing the number of reported incidents to the population of each state, our experts were able to determine the rate of thefts.

This table ranks the 15 US states with the most stolen packages per 100,000 people, with the number of other larceny offences recorded over two years for comparison.

With 875.4 offences reported per 100,000 residents (out of a population of 678,972), the District of Columbia has the highest rate of package thefts in the USA, despite other states having much higher rates of other larceny offences.

Arkansas was a close second, with 832.2 thefts per 100,000 residents. South Carolina (708), Louisiana (693), and Washington (664) round out the top five hotspots. Across all states, there were 1.2 million other larceny offences reported between January 2022 and December 2023.

The Google search volume for terms related to stolen packages can also show the level of concern in a particular area. And based on Google search data, the District of Columbia tops the list again with 32.40 Google searches per 100,000 residents. However, with an 8% drop in keyword interest, it suggests that package theft is generally on a downward trend in the area.

North Dakota, Rhode Island, Delaware and Wyoming all finish within the top five, with more than 10 searches for package theft keywords per 100,000 residents each.

Meanwhile, California, recorded the highest total searches per month with 2,800 queries, but given its high total population, it ranks 15 for search volume. It also has a low overall theft rate, suggesting a high rate of public concern compared to relatively few incidents.

Illinois and Nevada both recorded large increases in keyword interest over the last 12 months, with a 29.77% and 26.15% growth in searches respectively. Notably, Alaska had the sixth highest search volume for stolen package related terms, despite having the lowest theft rate of any US state (126 incidents per 100,000 residents).

Compare the Market Australia’s Executive General Manager of General Insurance, Adrian Taylor, said stolen goods ordered online are rarely covered by a contents insurance policy.

“While contents insurance is designed to protect your belongings from theft, fire and other damage, many Australians may be surprised to hear that it usually doesn’t cover packages, parcels or other items if they go missing from outside the confines of your home,” Mr Taylor said.

“That means if an item is delivered but goes missing from your porch, letterbox or wherever the delivery driver leaves it, it’s not covered by your home’s contents insurance policy.

“As our research has highlighted, it’s worth considering measures such as requesting a signature, delivering to a parcel locker or post office, or using click-and-collect services to ensure your packages can be delivered safely.

“However, it’s still worth shopping around for contents insurance to have a level of protection for your valuables already inside your home. Ensure you adjust your policy to ensure any new possessions are covered, too.”

For more information on parcel theft trends and how to protect your deliveries, read our full blog at: https://www.comparethemarket.com.au/home-contents-insurance/features/parcel-theft-hotspots/