Package Theft

Dr. Ben Stickle — Leading Expert on Porch Piracy and Last-Mile Crime

Package theft, often called “porch piracy,” has quickly become one of the fastest-growing crimes in the world of e-commerce. With more than 200 million packages stolen annually in the U.S. alone, the problem is no longer just an inconvenience for consumers — it’s a major security and loss prevention challenge for retailers, carriers, and law enforcement.

I am widely recognized as the leading academic and practitioner voice on package theft. As a former police officer and now a criminologist, I have pioneered the study of this crime: co-authoring the first academic definition of package theft, publishing foundational peer-reviewed articles, and advising the U.S. Postal Service and global delivery leaders.

My research and insights have been featured in Good Morning America, The New York Times, NBC Nightly News, Business Insider, The Mail & Express Review, and more than 100 other outlets worldwide. I regularly speak at industry and law enforcement conferences, providing actionable strategies to reduce package theft and improve last-mile security.

To explore the research, read practitioner articles, or connect for expert consultation, scroll below.

Package theft, Porch pirates, Preventing package theft, Package theft solutions, Stolen parcels, Package security, Anti-theft

Scholarly Publications

Assessing the Fear of Package Theft

American Journal of Criminal Justice

Porch Pirates: Examining Unattended Package Theft Through Crime Script Analysis

Criminal Justice Studies

Package Theft in a Pandemic

University College London, Jill Dando Institute of Security and Crime Science

"Pirates on the Porch." Security Management.
"Combatting Porch Piracy: Effective Strategies to Secure Deliveries." Parcel & Post Technology
"5 Tips for Stopping Porch Pirates from Stealing Your Packages." Business Insider.
"Porch Piracy: The Most Vulnerable Part of the Supply Chain." The Mail & Express Review.
"Fighting Pirates: A First Look at How to Prevent Porch Piracy." Loss Prevention Magazine.
"Beware of Package Thieves Outside Your Home." Consumer Postal Council
"The Last Foot of the Supply Chain is Presenting New Challenges." Delivery Safe.
"The Growing Trends in Home Delivery is Fueling Package Theft." GRC Outlook.
"Are Your Packaged Safe from ‘Porch Pirates’?" The Crime Report.
"Porch Piracy." The Conversation.

Selected Media Appearances

Cracking down on Package Thieves. Good Morning America (2020)
NBC Nightly News. NBC News
Porch Piracy Enters Capitol Hill's Crosshairs. Freight Waves
7 Tips to Stop Porch Pirates. AARP
The Rise of Home Delivery Attracting Predators: 'Porch Pirates' Snatch Record 250 Million Packages. The Washington Times
Package Theft. Security Management
Cute Videos, But Little Evidence: Police Say Amazon Ring Isn’t Much of a Crime Fighter. NBC Investigative Reporting
How Can We Stop ‘Porch Pirates’? A New Study Says the Answer is Simpler Than You Think. Input Magazine.
Authorities Crack Down on Porch Pirates. Good Morning America (2021)
How to Stop Porch Pirates from Stealing Your Packages. News Nation Now, The Donlon Report
210 Million Packages Were Stolen from Americans in 2021. Fox News
Caught on Video: Porch Pirate Dashes off with Holiday Packages. KABC News
Breaking Down Porch Piracy & Metal Theft Featuring Dr. Ben Stickle. In Crime Science: The Science of Crime Prevention, Episode 37 of the Loss Prevention Research Council
Have a New Address? Don’t Lose Your Mail. The New York Times
How Likely are you to be a ‘Porch Pirate’ Victim? A New Study Offers Clues. WTOP News
What is Naked Packaging?: Why Experts Say it’s Luring Porch Pirates. WGN TV
As Package Theft Skyrockets During COVID-19 Pandemic, What Can Consumers Do to Protect Themselves? CBS Chicago
Have You Been a Victim of Porch Pirates? WGN Radio

Research Team

Ben Stickle is a recognized expert and industry forerunner addressing loss in the last mile of delivery, focusing on package theft. His work includes scholarly articles on COVID-19’s impact on crime, package theft, and practitioner-focused articles in The Mail & Express Review, Loss Prevention Magazine, Security Management, and The Business Insider. Ben’s research has appeared in over 100 news reports, websites, and blogs, including Good Morning America, US News & World Report, New York Times, NBC Investigative Reporting, AARP, WGN Chicago, Readers Digest, and others. Ben has presented to the Loss Prevention Research Council, WMX, Post & Parcel Live, Clear Link Consumer Brands, ASIS International, E-P-Pack, and more.

Melody Hicks holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Middle Tennessee State University. After completing a funded Graduate Research Assistantship at MTSU, she works for a local police agency in the Office of Professional Responsibility. Her research interests focus on situational crime prevention, video data analysis, and fear of crime research. She is the co-author of two academic articles on package theft.

Amy Stickle is a Mathematics Lecturer at Middle Tennessee State University. Teaching courses in Algebra and Statistics, her research interests include math anxiety and the application of mathematical and statistical concepts in criminal justice.