Parcel thefts double, with one in 7 homes targeted, as Black Friday warning issued to Brits
26 November 2024, 06:39
Parcel theft has doubled over the past year, according to newly released figures, as organised crime gangs exploit the boom in deliveries.
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So-called "porch pirates" stole parcels worth some £376.6 million last year - nearly double the previous 12 months, according to data obtained by Freedom of Information requests.
And this is likely to be an undercount, given that many people will not have reported the thefts to police.
One in seven households, or the equivalent of nearly 4 million homes, had at least one parcel stolen over the past year - an increase of over half a million on the previous 12-month period.
The research, which was carried out by technology company Quadient, found that people who live in blocks of flats were more likely to be targeted than people in houses.
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Thieves are able to capitalise on "opportunities to steal multiple parcels in one go from communal areas,” the company said.
Katia Bourgeais-Crémel, an executive at Quadient, said: “Flats are now prime targets for porch pirates as they use minimum effort for maximum profit, swiping multiple items at once.
"This being said, lower resident footfall around houses means they are attractive to opportunistic thieves.”
Black Friday and Christmas are the two most common periods for parcel theft, according to the company's research.
She added: "No home is immune to the plague of parcel theft, and as higher value items are being stolen, the UK public needs to be especially vigilant over the holidays".
London and Bedfordshire are among the places with the most parcel thefts reported, while Norwich, Newcastle and Brighton were among the least affected areas.
And as parcel thefts often result in refunds to victims, they result in higher prices as retailers seek to pass on the costs.
Ms Bourgeais-Crémel added: "The UK’s parcel theft problem is everywhere, and the data shows porch pirates are stopping at nothing to make a profit, targeting everywhere from prisons to nurseries.
"With the economy for parcel theft booming, the cost of lost items is being passed on to the consumer.”
