LANSING, Mich. — Adobe Analytics say Americans are expected to spend $11.2 billion this Cyber Monday. But as you wait for your items to be delivered, you may want to keep one thing in mind - porch pirates.
Lansing resident Julia Miller knows exactly how it it feels to be hit by one of these thieves.
“There was a picture that clearly showed there was a package right outside The Fledge, but when I walked outside, no package was there, and no one had seen it,” she said.
Miller isn’t the only one. It seems to be a growing trend. According to research done by C+R, so far in 2022, almost 14% of Americans have been hit by a porch pirate.
“It’s a big problem for those people just trying to get their holiday gifts,” said Capt. Andy Daenzer with the Ingham County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff's office said they investigate every porch pirate incident that’s reported.
“We’re always looking at video, trying to talk to neighbors to see if they see anything suspicious,” Daenzer said.
So, how can you keep your package safe? The sheriff's office recommends things like shipping your package to work instead of at home, enable a signature requirement on your package and consider investing in cameras.
As for the porch pirates, the sheriff’s office has one message.
“We’re going to fully investigate this, we’re going to hunt you down and we’re going to try and prosecute you for this,” Daenzer said.
