Survey reveals package theft is a growing problem

Porch piracy is on the rise as the holiday shopping season enters its peak period.

According to the "2024 Porch Pirates & Holiday Shopping Report" from InsuranceQuotes.com, 31% of surveyed U.S. consumers said they have had a delivered package stolen from their porch, doorstep or building lobby – a crime commonly referred to as "porch piracy." 

This is a 29% increase from the 24% of respondents from the 2023 edition of the survey who said they had been victimized by porch piracy. Roughly one-in-three (34%) respondents wants the next U.S. president to address the issue of package theft, including 45% of respondents who make less than $50,000 annually.

Porch pirates are causing a significant amount of consumer stress, as 55% of respondents, including 73% of 18-to-29-year-olds, say that thinking about the possibility of their packages being stolen gives them anxiety. 

[READ MORE: Survey: Younger shoppers, those in cities more likely to experience package theft]

The survey also examined consumer attitudes toward a variety of other holiday shopping-related topics:

Artificial intelligence

Thirteen percent of respondents say that this year they’re using ChatGPT or another similar generative AI tool to assist with their holiday shopping. Gen Z and millennial respondents are more likely to get their gift ideas from AI, with 22% of 18-29 year-olds and 19% of 30-49-year-olds responding yes.