Texas Takes Gold in the Stolen Package Olympics
It’s official: Texans get their packages stolen more than residents of any other state. Happy Monday!
Yes, we’re the undisputed champion of porch piracy, according to a report from the sports betting site Action Network. With a whopping 29.8% chance of your holiday presents going MIA, Texans might as well start installing conveyor belts straight to our local pawn shops.
The study, which was published last month and first reported by The Dallas Morning News on Monday, comes soon after something called National Package Protection Day highlighted a troubling trend: 5% of Texans reported stolen packages in the last three months alone. And while Amazon boxes are the second-favorite target, mail leads the pack, proving thieves are kinda charmingly old school.
North Carolina came in second place in the Grinch Olympics, with a 14.4% chance of porch piracy, while Florida secured third, with more than 3,270 reported residential thefts last year. Researchers used Google search data for terms like “stolen packages” and “porch pirates” to narrow down their findings.
Porch pirates had a banner year in 2024, swiping more than 120 million packages, which racked up a staggering $16 billion in losses, according to the home security company SafeWise.
To safeguard your packages, the company suggests setting up visible security cameras, choosing secure delivery spots, and timing deliveries for when someone will be home. The report also highlights the importance of package tracking — and teaming up with neighbors — as the most popular theft deterrents behind cameras.
“Package Protection Day is an opportunity to empower homeowners with tools and knowledge to keep their deliveries safe,” said Rebecca Edwards, lead safety expert at SafeWise, in a press release. “Simple actions like installing a security camera or tracking packages can make a big difference in preventing theft.”
