Mission Valley resident Lorena Macalpin had worked hard to choose the perfect gifts for her loved ones and ensure they were delivered on time for the holidays. But last month, the 67-year-old walked outside to see her packages weren’t on her doorstep, despite Amazon saying they had been delivered just a half-hour earlier. “I hear later from my neighbor that he saw the empty package by the river (behind my house) and my name was on it,” she said. “So I knew what happened.” Malcapin is among the many San Diegans who have or will become a victim of porch piracy this year. Over the past few weeks, Facebook community groups, Nextdoor pages and neighborhood email lists have been filled with people warning their fellow residents about recent thefts in the local area. Porch piracy — a common term used when thieves steal a package after it is delivered to a private residence — is a crime that local police say has been increasing in recent years, especially during the holiday season. “You see this type of stuff kick up because a lot of the crooks know that during the holidays, we have a lot of Christmas presents being delivered,” said Oceanside police Detective Sgt. Josh Young. “So we see an increase in burglaries and thefts.” Porch pirating has become a national trend, with about $12 billion in packages stolen last year and as many as 58 million Americans victimized in the last 12 months, according to a study published in November by Security.org. Another study from Safewise.com put San Diego 82nd nationally for package theft in 2024. Porch pirating, according to a number of local law enforcement officials, is a “crime of opportunity” in most cases. Whether it be from someone going specifically into a neighborhood in search of unprotected packages, or walking by and happening to see a package on someone’s front step, many of the reported crimes occur when defenses for items are low. “That means that sometimes there’s no specific target — there’s nothing more to it than somebody walking by, seeing a package and taking it,” said San Diego police Lt. Travis Easter. Officials said thieves are on the lookout for indicators that make it easy for them to grab a package without being seen or noticed. Easter said thieves often look for homes that are not well lit, lack security cameras or don’t have concealed drop-off locations for delivery drivers. They also look for bushes or other features that may obscure visibility from the inside of the house to where the package was dropped off. Young also said he’s seen incidents in which thieves follow delivery trucks on their bikes or in their cars and steal the packages the moment the driver completes a delivery. There are a number of ways to defend your packages. Young said a smart deterrence is a home security system, such as a Ring doorbell or security cameras. Tracking a package’s delivery time online through the delivery service can also ensure you get to it in a timely fashion, Young said. “Try and get a neighbor or friend to grab it from the porch, or make arrangements for the delivery person to put it somewhere less conspicuous,” Young suggested. Patricia Mendoza, a spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, suggested people take advantage of various services offered by the agency, such as the recipient using the post office’s “Hold Mail Service” to pick it up directly at the local post office. Mendoza also suggested requesting a signature confirmation when mailing something important, ensuring the intended recipient is the one who brings the item inside the house and that it won’t be left outside. Law enforcement officials said that when deterrence does fail, there is recourse for individuals whose packages are stolen. An important component to possibly getting your item back is filing a report with police and sending them your security camera footage if there is any. “Call us, and we’ll respond to take a report,” Easter said. “We’ll look for evidence that hopefully will find the person that took the package.” Related Articles Crime and Public Safety | Federal criminal investigation into SANDAG said to be closed without charges Crime and Public Safety | Man dies after being mauled by three dogs in Mira Mesa Crime and Public Safety | San Diego Harbor Police release footage of Little Italy shootout Crime and Public Safety | Murder convictions against two overturned in 2020 Point Loma shooting Crime and Public Safety | Sheriff agrees to make all jails safer for people with disabilities Encouraging people to report porch theft may lead to more relief when Proposition 36 — a measure passed in November that increases penalties for people with multiple prior theft convictions — comes into effect on Jan. 18, the District Attorney’s Office said. Under current state law, theft of money or property valued at $950 or less is generally a misdemeanor and carries a maximum sentence of six months in county jail. However, Prop. 36 allows petty theft and shoplifting to be charged as a felony if a person has two or more prior convictions for qualifying theft offenses, leading to a possible sentence of up to three years in county jail or state prison. Officials said the enhanced punitive measures may dissuade criminals from seizing on certain opportunities — or at least keep them away for longer periods of time.