How Kentucky beefed up porch pirate laws and what you can do to protect your packages
More than 183 million people are planning to shop either online or in-store between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday this year, survey figures from the National Retail Federation show.
There are plenty of shoppers who like to hit up the mall and big box stores, but up to two-thirds of U.S. consumers will be browsing deals online from the comfort of their couches.
All those packages showing up at unattended front doors over a holiday weekend creates a massive opportunity for thieves, however. So, does Kentucky law pose any unique penalties for these so-called porch pirates? Here’s what to know about the practice and how to better protect your deliveries.
What does Kentucky law have to say about package thieves?
Prior to 2022, package thieves could take advantage of a “loophole” in Kentucky law that posed stiffer penalties for stealing from mailboxes than from someone’s front porch. Even with front door security footage serving as proof, the offenses were often treated as misdemeanors.
However, following the passage of Senate Bill 23 that year, the offense is now a Class D felony, which is attached to a one- to five-year prison sentence upon conviction. This means thefts of packages delivered by commercial companies like Amazon, FedEx and UPS are now covered under Kentucky’s theft of mail matter law.
At this point, it’s unclear if the stiffer penalty is having a deterring effect, given Lexington police saw an increase in holiday package thefts as recently as last year, WKYT reported.
How to keep thieves from stealing your packages
Nationwide, package thefts seem to be relatively common, with Forbes reporting nearly 40% of Americans have experienced them.
There are steps you can take to mitigate the risk of it happening to you, including:
Purchase a secure dropbox for your packages. You can list the PIN number to open the box on the delivery instructions for your packages. If you like do-it-yourself projects, you can also build your own. In either case, try to position the box so it’s not obvious from the street.
Invest in a security camera and keep it in a visible spot. Sure, thieves may cover their face, but the camera could pick up other clues that are useful for the police to investigate, such as the car they used. If nothing else, the footage will let you know what happened to your package and possibly get a refund.
Keep an eye on your online package tracking information and pick up the package immediately after it’s delivered.
Alternatively, have the package shipped to your office or workplace if it’s more secure there.
If your packages keep getting stolen, open a U.S. Postal Office box. UPS and Amazon also offer dropbox services.
Get to know your neighbors and ask them to keep an eye out.
If you’re shipping a gift to someone’s door, check in with them about delivery.
Do you have a question about the law in Kentucky for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.