Combatting the 'Porch Pirates'
In the recent surge of "porch piracy"—the theft of delivered packages from doorsteps—major logistics companies have sought new strategies to reduce theft. UPS has developed an AI-powered approach called "DeliveryDefense," which assigns a 'Delivery Confidence Score' to each delivery location, considering factors such as historical data and machine learning algorithms.
If the address has a low score, indicating a higher likelihood of theft, the recipient can opt for different delivery options, such as a UPS pick-up point or in-store collection. Other companies, such as FedEx, DHL, and Amazon, have adopted various methods to prevent theft, including photographic proof of delivery, signature requirements, delivery to secure locations, and even garage delivery.
However, the effectiveness of doorbell cameras to prevent theft is considered limited, with evidence suggesting that thieves are not deterred by surveillance. Despite technological advancements, experts recommend traditional measures such as requiring a signature upon delivery or using a secure lockbox to combat porch piracy.