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Fighting Black Friday crowds, missing the last item on the shelf, running out of wrapping paper mid-present...there are a ton of frustrating things about buying gifts during the holiday season. But the worst, by far, has to be porch pirates.

It's something that Shreveport and Bossier City have dealt with a lot over the last couple of years, especially during the holiday seasons. Bold criminals walking straight up to someone's porch and taking their delivered packages right from in front of their door. It's shockingly more common in our area than you might think.

New research from CCTV Camera World says that Louisiana is the state with the Highest Rate of Porch Piracy in the United States. Technically, the Washington DC area ranks higher, but it's not a state, which makes Louisiana the #1 state in the nation.

The same study says that Louisiana can expect 2,352 porch pirate crimes per 100,000 residents. For a frame of reference, Idaho and Massachusetts have the lowest rate, at 912 porch pirates per 100,000 residents. While neighboring states like Texas (1,731 per 100k) and Mississippi (1,556 per 100k) are closer to the middle of the pack.

It's something that Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry took head-on last year...

 

Their research said that Louisiana is the second most likely state to encounter a porch pirate this holiday season, which is expected to be a record setting season for online retail. With $207 billion expected in online holiday shopping.

A report from C+R Research said that 43% of Americans had a package stolen during the 2020 holiday shopping season.

Porch piracy is obviously illegal, in fact stealing mail is a Federal crime. But not all states have specific porch pirate laws in place. Louisiana currently doesn't have a specific law dealing with porch pirates, but Texas and Oklahoma both have put in porch pirate laws.

So without laws in some states, people have taken matters into their own hands. Last year, Youtuber Mark Rober launched his third generation of anti-porch-pirate traps. He was inspired when police wouldn't do anything about his packages getting stolen. Here's what happened during the 2020 holiday season...

If you're not able to create your own GPS tracked, fart spraying, loud, glitter bomb, then you should just work to make sure your packages are safe. Here are the suggestions from CCTV Camera World:

-Enable Tracking and Text Alerts: Most carriers, including Amazon, UPS, and FedEx, will text you when your package has been delivered. Make sure to turn this feature on and collect your packages as soon as possible.

-Install Home Security Cameras: Security cameras serve as a deterrent and have successfully identified porch pirates in the act. Consider smart security cameras with AI technology that can detect unusual activity including if a package goes missing.

-Invest in a Porch Lockbox: Companies now manufacture lockboxes designed specifically to receive packages. The lockbox will have a code that you provide to the delivery service so they can open it and drop your package off securely.

-Control Shipping Location: If you know you will not be home to accept the package, you can have it shipped to work, to an Amazon Locker or pick it up in-store.

-Ask for nondescript packaging: A package that says Tiffany & Co is likely to pique the interest of any criminal. Ask the merchant if they can ship using a nondescript box.

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