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Porch pirates target specific items, stealing as soon as delivery: What you need to know

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Published  December 3, 2024 10:57pm EST
Crime & Public Safety
FOX 29 Philadelphia

Porch pirates stealing high-value items within minutes of delivery: tips to avoid thefts

As holiday deliveries kick into high gear, police are warning residents after a series of recent iPhone thefts happening just moments after delivery across Delaware County.

HAVERFORD TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Porch pirates are on the move again during the holiday season. But these thieves aren’t looking for your shipments of paper towels or dish soap. They want your new iPhone 16. The "hottest" gift of the holiday season may be a little too hot.

Police in Haverford Township, Delaware County believe there is a coordinated effort to steal iPhones as fast they're being delivered to your door.

"A person I know ordered two cell phones delivered to their home and within a matter of a minute or 90 seconds a car pulled up took both cell phones and drove away," says Haverford Township Police Chief John Viola.

As holiday deliveries kick into high gear, police are warning residents after a series of recent iPhone thefts happening just moments after delivery across the township. Investigators believe an organized group may have access to tracking numbers and follow drivers door to door. There have been similar reports of AT&T iPhone thefts from FedEx drivers nationwide.

"If somebody knows that a phone is being delivered and they are right behind that delivery vehicle, whether it be a truck or a car, and able to grab that phone within a minute, something is obviously up. It’s not just a random theft," said Viola.

Police say the targeted iPhone thefts started in late October but have increased during the holidays. Video of a similar iPhone theft in New Castle County was made available for viewing two weeks ago.

SafeWise, a home safety and security expert firm, estimated that 260,000 incidents of package thefts occur every day costing $16 billion in losses in 2023.

Cynthia Intintolo, of Havertown, recently had an Amazon package stolen from her front porch off of Manoa Road.

"I think that’s the worst thing I’ve ever heard of for the holiday season," said Intintolo.

"It’s unfortunate, obviously, because people are expecting stuff they can gift wrap and give to other people, so it’s unfortunate that happens," added Havertown resident Robert Salloom.

Haverford Township Police say the thefts have not been from a specific delivery service and are happening across the township. Investigators are looking at doorbell video from at least one of the thefts. Some residents have learned the hard way to take precautions in the age of doorstep delivery.

"They’ve got to find a better way to deliver the packages. That’s always why I usually have them put it inside the door" said Matt Berdeur, of Havertown.

When ordering high value items, police suggest requiring a signature before delivery or utilizing locker service.