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4d ago

Gottheimer Unveils Bipartisan Porch Pirates Act to Federalize Package Theft Penalties

The newly introduced bill targets a legal gap by extending federal protections to private‑carrier deliveries.

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The cardboard and paper packaging of an Amazon Prime order box which was to be delivered to a local address, lies ripped open and discarded on the pavement of a residential street, on 20th June 2025.
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Overview

  • The bill would make theft of packages delivered by Amazon, UPS, FedEx and DHL a federal crime with penalties up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 in fines.
  • The proposal authorizes the Justice Department and FBI to coordinate investigations with local law enforcement across jurisdictions.
  • Current federal protections apply only to USPS mail, creating inconsistent penalties for similar thefts handled by private carriers.
  • Safewise estimates more than 100 million packages were stolen nationwide in the past year, though reported incidents fell 13% from 2023.
  • Supporters cite organized schemes, including a Suffolk County case charging 14 people, and report more than 190,000 New Jersey victims over a three‑month span last year.