How To Stop Holiday Package Thefts In Wilmette

WILMETTE, IL — Once again, a growing number of shoppers in Wilmette will turn to computers and smartphones to check gifts off their shopping lists this holiday season.

Experts project holiday e-commerce sales in the United States will reach a record $207 billion between November and December, a 10 percent increase over 2020 sales, according to data from Adobe Analytics.

Yet as online sales increase, consumers in Wilmette and across the country are almost sure to see an uptick in packages disappearing from front porches.

Nationwide, as online shopping spiked during the pandemic, the number of U.S. consumers who reported having a package stolen rose from 36 percent in 2019 to 43 percent in 2020, according to a report by Chicago-based C+R Research. Among 2020’s victims, nearly two-thirds said they had been a victim of package theft more than once.

According to C+R’s report, on average, the value of a stolen package in 2020 was $136; however, 81 percent say they received a refund on the stolen items.

Still, as package thieves — or “porch pirates” — become more clever, consumers need to be one step ahead when it comes to preventing package theft.

About 35.5 million Americans say they’ve been the victim of package theft in the past 12 months, according to the most recent data by Finder.com. As a result, consumers lost about $5.4 billion in merchandise.

Wilmette Police Cmdr. Mike Robinson told Patch that the village has seen relatively consistent numbers of package theft reports in recent years — 20 in 2019, 22 in 2020 and 15 in 2021 to date.

"There is a slight uptick around the holidays," Robinson said, "but overall [package theft] is not rampant."

Who Steals A Package?

Finder’s study revealed that men are more likely to be both package thieves and victims of the crime. About 5 percent of men admitted stealing a package compared with 0.85 percent of women.

Meanwhile, 17 percent of men had a package stolen in the past year, compared with 11 percent of women.

Has the pandemic changed the approach of Wilmette police to preventing and responding to porch piracy?

"Our approach has stayed the same," Robinson said. "A combination of education and proactive enforcement seems to be the best formula for reducing this type of crime."

To prevent package theft, Robinson said Wilmette police look to increase patrols in neighborhoods, distribute public awareness messages on social media and share information about suspected thieves and their vehicles with neighboring law enforcement agencies.

Prevention Tips

"Taking packages in quickly or having a neighbor take them in can help the most," Robinson said.

"Scheduling deliveries and receiving notifications so you can take the packages inside is a good practice," he added. "Video doorbells seem to have a some deterrent effect based on anecdotal information."

And here are five tips Finder shared to help Americans keep from becoming a victim of a package theft:

• Try curbside pickup: Drive to the store; most offer curbside pickup options.
• Use a post office box: This will ensure the package is handled by a professional at the Wilmette or Kenilworth post offices.
• Video surveillance: Doorbell cameras such as Ring can allow homeowners to scare away the thief in real time.
• Require a signature: This way, the package cannot go unattended.
• Have it sent to your workplace: Public places typically have a greater chance of using security cameras.