By Leada Gore

Packages are stacked on the doorstep of a home in this 2021 file photo, in Upper Darby, Pa. Retailers and delivery companies have been trying to combat the theft of delivered packages in a variety of ways.(AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)

Package theft carried out by a new brand of crooks known as “porch pirates” is booming. In 2023, statistics show there were some 119 million package thefts in the U.S., the equivalent of one out of every 200 deliveries.

Collectively, Americans lost $13.4 billion to package theft last year, with the average stolen package worth $112.30.

Combating the growing problem is behind a new recommendation from the U.S. Postal Service regarding how you receive your packages. USPS said people should consider upgrading to one of the newer larger capacity mailboxes that are wider and taller to accommodate delivery of larger materials and reduce the need for notices and trips to the post office to retrieve a package.

Dimensions of the larger boxes are at least 13.63 inches wide by 7.75 inches tall on the sides, 12 inches tall at the center and 16.5 inches deep. They fit on standard posts. You can go here to see USPS guidelines on installing any mailbox.

The new larger capacity mailboxes are available at national retailers including Walmart, Lowe’s and Home Depot. Prices will vary but Walmart has models from Architectural Mailboxes available online for $65.79 – $96.39.

Informed delivery

USPS is also urging customers to sign up for Informed Delivery. The free service allows you to preview images of your mail and manage incoming packages without entering tracking numbers. You can also sign up for text or email notifications, schedule delivery alerts, request redelivery or enter USPS delivery instructions.

You can go here to see more on Informed Delivery.

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