It’s happened to nearly one-third of Americans—you’re waiting for a package only to realize it’s been stolen off your porch.
So-called “porch piracy” continues to be a problem, especially around the holidays, and now, a study by an Illinois-based packing company this year shows that some cities could be more prone than others.
The study by Shorr Packaging Corp. analyzed Google search trends for “Amazon package stolen” in the 50 most populous U.S. cities and then used census data determined the rate relative to the population.
The study found that package theft is most prevalent in many of the country’s technology hubs, with San Francisco and Seattle topping the list. Overall, Long Beach ranked 17 on the list just behind Los Angeles.
Here’s the overall ranking:
- San Francisco
- Seattle
- Minneapolis
- Boston
- Portland, OR
- Washington D.C.
- Oakland
- Baltimore, MD
- Atlanta, GA
- Sacramento
Here where California cities ranked on the list:
- San Francisco, 1
- Oakland, 7
- Sacramento, 10
- San Jose, 12
- Los Angeles, 15
- Long Beach, 17
- San Diego, 21
- Fresno, 46
About 30 percent of Americans say they’ve had packages stolen, according to a survey by Xfinity Home, Comcast’s home security service.
The Long Beach Police Department lumps in package thefts with its petty or grand theft statistics, so it’s tough to determine the actual rates in the city.
Here are few tips on how to prevent porch piracy:
- Install motion sensor lighting and security cameras
- Use a package locker
- Ship it to your office
- Network with your neighbors
- Postpone deliveries while traveling