How To Stop Holiday Package Thefts In Watsonville

WATSONVILLE, CA — Once again, a growing number of shoppers in Watsonville will turn to computers and smartphones to check gifts off their shopping lists this holiday season.

Experts project holiday e-commerce sales in the United States will reach a record $207 billion between November and December, a 10 percent increase over 2020 sales, according to data from Adobe Analytics.

Yet as online sales increase, consumers in Watsonville and across the country are almost sure to see an uptick in packages disappearing from front porches.

"Let's not forget that porch pirates are still at it this holiday season," the Watsonville Police Department said on Facebook.

Nationwide, as online shopping spiked during the pandemic, the number of U.S. consumers who reported having a package stolen rose from 36 percent in 2019 to 43 percent in 2020, according to a report by Chicago-based C+R Research. Among 2020’s victims, nearly two-thirds said they had been a victim of package theft more than once.

According to C+R’s report, on average, the value of a stolen package in 2020 was $136; however, 81 percent say they received a refund on the stolen items.

Still, as package thieves — or “porch pirates” — become more clever, consumers need to be one step ahead when it comes to preventing package theft.

Prevention Tips

Here's what the Watsonville Police Department recommends residents do.

• Schedule the delivery for when you’ll be home

• Have packages delivered to your work or to a family member who is home

• Require a signature on delivery

• Ask your carrier to place package in an area out of plain view

• Have your package held at your local post office for pickup

About 35.5 million Americans say they’ve been the victim of package theft in the past 12 months, according to the most recent data by Finder.com. As a result, consumers lost about $5.4 billion in merchandise.

Who Steals A Package?

FInder’s study revealed that men are more likely to be both package thieves and victims of the crime. About 5 percent of men admitted stealing a package compared with 0.85 percent of women.

Meanwhile, 17 percent of men had a package stolen in the past year, compared with 11 percent of women.