Porch pirates have Cyber Monday shoppers making sacrifices to avoid theft: survey

Porch piracy is getting so bad, it could force Cyber Monday shoppers to change how their goods are delivered.

At least that's what home security company Canary said in a Sunday report, which sourced numbers from third-party research house YouGov.

According to the study, nearly one in five Americans was either a holiday porch piracy victim last year or knows someone who was a victim of the epidemic. Additionally, almost half of Americans are worried that they will be victims of opportunistic thieves and think these thefts ruin the holiday season.

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Since people aren't trusting their doorstep as a safe place for package dropoff anymore, some are making sacrifices when it comes to their holiday shopping.

Nearly one-third of Americans said they "would significantly limit their online shopping" if they were aware of porch pirate thefts in their neighborhood. Likewise, over a quarter said they would prefer to do holiday shopping in-store on Black Friday despite the busyness if that meant they could thwart thieves.

Close to one in five said they rather endure the inconvenience of a one-hour wait on a checkout line so they can avoid stolen gifts.

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More than one in five said they would work from home on days they're expecting to receive a package to beat out porch piracy.

Nearly four in 10 said they would resort to alternative delivery options such as ordering packages to their workplace, picking up at a post office or signing up for a PO box.

Others reported that they would take matters into their own hands with nearly one in five who said they would leave a trap to catch a porch pirate in the act.

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However, a far higher number are opting for home security gadgets like surveillance cameras or video doorbells. According to the report, nearly one-third of Americans would purchase security cameras as a deterrent for porch pirates.

Similarly, three in 10 Americans said they would purchase an affordable security camera system if there were porch pirate thefts in their area while nearly one in five said they would prefer a traditional perimeter-based system in the same circumstance.

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A UPS spokesperson told FOX Business that the logistics company delivers more than 20 million packages a day. To curb package theft, holiday shoppers can sign up for the free UPS My Choice service, which sends text messages or email updates on members’ package delivery status and can even accept delivery instructions.

Alternatively, the company suggested that concerned shoppers look into its network of 14,000 UPS Access Point locations or arranging in-person pickup at The UPS Store.

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FedEx offered similar suggestions to curb the chance of becoming a porch pirate victim. A representative at FedEx told FOX Business that shoppers can choose to schedule a delivery, provide detailed instructions and request a signature or vacation hold if needed.

Packages can also be redirected to a local FedEx Office or a participating pickup location such as Walgreens, Dollar General or grocery store.