Michigan attorney general offers tips to fight porch pirates

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (D) is offering tips to the state’s residents to fight off “porch pirates,” with an increase in online shopping and package deliveries around the winter holidays. 

As part of her office’s ongoing Holiday Scams Campaign, Nessel outlined several steps Michiganders can take to shield their packages from theft. 

She urged consumers to ship their packages to more secure spots, such as FedEx offices, Amazon lockers or, if possible, workplace mailboxes. Nessel advised residents to keep their porches well-lit and consider buying motion-sensing lighting. 

Besides improved lighting, the state attorney general suggested Michiganders buy a motion detector or a porch camera to better track their incoming deliveries. Another way to ensure the safety of packages is to make it seem like people are in their residences even when they are not, using tactics such as playing music inside or having the lights on. 

“Whether it's a package or a piece of mail, unattended deliveries are easy targets for porch pirates,” Nessel said in Wednesday's press release. “By planning ahead and taking security measures, you can make sure your well-deserved gifts and packages reach you safely while keeping thieves from stealing your holiday cheer.”

First-time offenders who commit package or mail theft can be sentenced to up to one year in jail, according to her office, while repeat offenders can get up to five years in prison. 

Her office advised consumers to use the U.S. Postal Service’s free "Informed Delivery" tool that allows buyers to track packages, reschedule deliveries and present previews of incoming mail. 

An annual study by SafeWise estimated that 120.5 million packages were stolen from American porches last year, with New York City topping the list in terms of worst cities, with $945 million in losses in 2023.