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Back in 2020, a phenomenon swept the nation. With the world forced to stay indoors, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, door-to-door deliveries were essential and with this ‘porch piracy’ was on the rise in Britain. Back in 2022, PACK & SEND analysed the scale of this problem to reveal the worst hit areas (see the old study here). Now in 2025, new research reveals the state of porch piracy in the UK today.
Sadly, the problem isn’t isolated to the peak pandemic years – porch pirates have been active before and since 2020. But how common is it where you live?
Over 3,000 parcel thefts are reported in the UK each year – more than 10,000 in the last three years. Some areas are more impacted than others though, with the worst hit areas being Hertfordshire, Leicestershire, and Essex.
The county crime rate appears to have increased in 2025, with theft, excluding shoplifting, burglary and robbery, featuring in the top five crimes committed. With an average of 563 parcel thefts occurring each year, it’s hardly surprising that Hertfordshire Police issued a warning to residents via local newspaper
The Comet in December to help residents avoid falling victim to doorstep parcel theft.
Leicestershire follows in second place, as the area most likely to experience parcel theft, with 1,410 parcel theft reports received by the county police force, averaging 470 incidents per year.
Reports show that just 4.5% of shoplifting offences result in a charge locally, significantly below the 18% average across England and Wales. Given the low charge rate, thieves may feel more brazen about stealing, even going so far as to snatch packages from doorsteps.
Essex is the third most likely location for porch piracy, with police receiving 1,012 porch piracy reports over three years, approximately 337 cases each year on average.
The county police also revealed that an estimated £844,250 worth of parcel contents has been stolen during this period. In 2025 alone, nearly £16,000 of items were stolen from doorsteps.
Humberside is the next most likely area to experience parcel theft, with 799 reports of porch piracy between 2023–2025.
With an estimated population of 962,500, this works out to 83 thefts per capita in Humberside. Despite having a smaller and more rural population, it’s clear porch piracy is more common than locals may think.
Meanwhile, Northumbria reported 634 parcel thefts – an average of 211 thefts per year.
Northumbria Police estimates that the value of these stolen parcels over the last three years equates to £74,780, or £118 per parcel, on average.
Meanwhile, Northumbria reported 634 parcel thefts – an average of 211 thefts per year.
Northumbria Police estimates that the value of these stolen parcels over the last three years equates to £74,780, or £118 per parcel, on average.
In contrast, regions of the UK with the lowest parcel theft rates only average between 1-15 reported thefts per year. Derbyshire has the lowest rate, with only two thefts reported since 2023, while Cleveland and North Yorkshire follow closely behind.
Derbyshire Police recorded the lowest number of parcel thefts, with just two in three years. Similarly, Cleveland Police received just three reports with a total value of £253, while North Yorkshire recorded five worth £865 overall.
Rounding out the top five least pirated areas is the City of London, with a reported 35 thefts over three years, averaging 12 per year. Cheshire is fifth safest with 43 parcels reported stolen, meaning 14 per year on average.
The data suggests the most common times of year for parcel thieves to operate is December, October, and January. Thieves likely target these times due to the volume of gifts exchanged over December and subsequent returns of unwanted gifts made throughout January, while October sees autumn sales especially Amazon Prime Big Deal Days (October 7-8).
Between 2023-2025, 484 parcels were reported stolen in the month of December. This is driven by the festive season, with many people across the UK sending Christmas gifts to loved ones. This means more parcels on doorsteps and unfortunately, more porch pirates active.
Extra awareness and precaution should be made in these higher risk months.
Nearly every year, constabularies warn UK residents about the risk of porch pirates (as shown in these articles from December 2024 and again in 2025), showing the ongoing problem with doorstep parcel thefts.
To keep your own parcels safe, police suggest several steps:
Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly0398yj2lo
Online shopping shows no signs of slowing down in 2026, with purchases hitting a three-year high in 2025, making up nearly a third of retail sales in the UK. And with 26% of UK consumers spending over £200 a month on Amazon alone, parcels and deliveries are a daily presence on Brits’ doorsteps.
However, where there are parcels, there are opportunities for ‘porch piracy,’ when packages are stolen from front doorsteps.
Yahya Logde, Marketing Manager at PACK & SEND, commented on the findings:
“Porch piracy is no longer just a problem during the festive season, as police forces are seeing consistent cases throughout the year and spikes in January in particular. Fuelled by post-Christmas sales, returns, delayed deliveries and dark evenings, there are plenty of opportunities for porch pirates to strike.
“It’s also expanded beyond big cities to become a nationwide issue, with smaller and more rural areas seeing high levels of doorstep theft.
“This data highlights how important it is to stay vigilant year-round when it comes to protecting parcels from theft. Simple steps like updating delivery instructions, providing a safe place for parcels to stay hidden or arranging for parcels to be dropped off at a collection point or locker can prevent deliveries from being stolen.”
Nicole Nyamwiza, Senior Lecturer in Criminology at The University of Law, also explains why porch piracy may be on the rise:
“The rise in ‘porch piracy’ reflects a convergence of social, economic, and behavioural factors that have reshaped everyday life. As online shopping has become embedded in routine consumer behaviour, particularly in the years following the pandemic, we are seeing far more parcels left in visible and inherently vulnerable locations.
“This pattern aligns closely with routine activity theory, a foundational criminological theory which proposes that crime occurs when three elements converge: a motivated offender, a suitable target, and the absence of capable guardianship. Porch piracy embodies this intersection.
“In most cases, these thefts are opportunistic rather than organised; individuals make rapid decisions based on ease of access, anonymity, and a low perceived risk of intervention. Periods of financial strain can further intensify this dynamic, as economic pressures frequently correlate with increases in low-level acquisitive crime.”
Methodology
*PACK & SEND a Freedom of Information (FOI) request in November 2025 to all 45 UK police forces, requesting information about the number of mail thefts reported between January 2023 and November 2025. 32 forces responded, and 23 provided the requested data.
12 out of 23 forces also provided data on the number of incidents per month, and 8 provided information on the value of stolen parcels per year.
The average number of annual thefts in each county was calculated by dividing the total number of porch piracy reports made between 2023-2025 by three.
Police Force Area Population – https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/datasets/policeforceareadatatables
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