Over six in 10 Americans are worried the packages they send to their loved ones will get stolen off their porch this holiday season, according to new research.
The study asked 2,000 Americans about their plans to deal with dreaded porch pirates this upcoming holiday season and found 64% are worried packages they sent to loved ones will be snatched up by a porch pirate this year.
And this worry is warranted, as 47% of respondents have fallen victim to a porch pirate themselves.
Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of SimpliSafe, the survey found that the average porch pirate victim has lost $175.05 due to package theft and they've lost three packages during quarantine alone.
Three-quarters of all respondents said porch pirating is the worst part about the holidays; and eight in 10 said having a gift stolen from their porch would really dampen their holiday spirit this year.
In fact, 32% of those polled have even started accounting for the possibility of packages being stolen when planning their holiday shopping.
It's no surprise then that 72% of respondents shared they stay vigilant and constantly check for delivery updates whenever they order something online - with one in 5 claiming they always worry about a package being stolen when they make an online purchase.
And their high anxiety is with good reason, as 52% of those surveyed said they're making much more expensive purchases online in 2020 than in years prior.
Nearly half of respondents even went so far as to say they'd be willing to spend twice the price of an item to purchase it in-store than stress about it not arriving at their doorstep safely and on time.
Those polled who have fallen victim to a porch pirate (over 900 respondents) were asked to share the most meaningful gifts that have been snatched from their homes and it's no shock that a lot of respondents shared they've had Christmas gifts stolen.
Unfortunately, some respondents even shared their experiences with medication and medical equipment being stolen.
Other respondents share personal letters being stolen, family heirlooms and other priceless gifts meant for their family members.
"More people than ever are expected to do their holiday shopping online this year as many communities are seeing COVID numbers on the rise," says Christian Cerda, Chief Executive Officer of SimpliSafe.
"And while it's undeniably more convenient, there are also pain points.
The rise in online shopping has the potential to bring a rise in porch-pirating.
Thankfully, there are ways that people can mitigate the risk of package theft, like investing in smart home technology such as a video doorbell." The survey also asked those with a home security system (46%) about the top reasons they purchased a system and found 13% specifically did so to discourage package theft.
Thirty-three percent of these respondents also said this purchase was of course to keep their family safe, 26% did so for peace of mind as well as to prevent a home break-in.
"Whether it's investing in a video doorbell to mitigate the risk of porch-pirating or protecting your home with entry sensors, motion sensors and cameras for comprehensive visibility, there's no doubt that smart home security system can help increase peace of mind this holiday season," says Christian Cerda, Chief Executive Officer of SimpliSafe.
