New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer has unveiled a bipartisan bill aimed at cracking down on package theft, dubbed the "Porch Pirates Act". The proposal seeks to close loopholes in prosecuting such crimes, ensuring that perpetrators face similar penalties regardless of whether the mail or parcel was delivered by a private carrier like Amazon or FedEx, or the US Postal Service.
The legislation would increase punishments for package thieves and allow federal agencies, including the Justice Department and FBI, to coordinate with local law enforcement on tackling the issue. Gottheimer drew parallels between package theft and the classic tale of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", highlighting the widespread nature of the problem - nearly half of all Americans have had a package stolen in recent years.
According to Safewise, more than 100 million deliveries were snatched over the past year alone, with over 190,000 people in New Jersey falling victim to parcel theft during a three-month period. The cost of average packages stolen is also significantly higher in New Jersey compared to other states, amounting to an 87% premium.
Retailers have faced criticism for not providing refunds to customers whose packages were stolen, with about a quarter of Americans reporting this issue. Gottheimer hopes the Porch Pirates Act will help retailers take responsibility and ensure that those who steal packages are held accountable.
The legislation would increase punishments for package thieves and allow federal agencies, including the Justice Department and FBI, to coordinate with local law enforcement on tackling the issue. Gottheimer drew parallels between package theft and the classic tale of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", highlighting the widespread nature of the problem - nearly half of all Americans have had a package stolen in recent years.
According to Safewise, more than 100 million deliveries were snatched over the past year alone, with over 190,000 people in New Jersey falling victim to parcel theft during a three-month period. The cost of average packages stolen is also significantly higher in New Jersey compared to other states, amounting to an 87% premium.
Retailers have faced criticism for not providing refunds to customers whose packages were stolen, with about a quarter of Americans reporting this issue. Gottheimer hopes the Porch Pirates Act will help retailers take responsibility and ensure that those who steal packages are held accountable.
! I mean, it's not like anyone can just walk up to your porch and snatch your mail or parcel without getting caught. But apparently, it happens all the time. 100 million deliveries were stolen last year alone? That's crazy! 
And the cost of those stolen packages is ridiculous too - an 87% premium in New Jersey?! It's not fair that retailers aren't taking responsibility for this and not providing refunds to customers. I mean, can you blame them for being upset when someone steals their stuff? 
But at the same time, it's like, what are we going to do about it? Increase security measures on every porch in the country?! That's just not feasible. I guess the bipartisan bill is a good start, but it's gonna be tough to tackle this problem head-on. Hopefully, it'll make a difference and people will stop thinking it's funny or something 
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And the fact that some retailers aren't even offering refunds is just shady 
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. Maybe we need more strict penalties or better tracking systems for packages 
. Whatever it is, I hope something changes soon...
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. We need to crack down on these Porch Pirates and make sure they don't think they can get away with stealing from our neighborhoods 
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. Plus, have you seen the stats on New Jersey being the worst for package theft? That just sounds like a setup... I mean, why else would one state be disproportionately affected? This bill is probably just a way to give big corporations more power over us... just saying 
I think its crazy how package theft is becoming a bigger issue every year 
Maybe someone should make a viral video about package theft and how it's not just a minor annoyance... that'd really help bring attention to this problem 
. I hope more states get on board with this legislation and make it harder for package thieves to get away with it 
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But seriously, I get it, Gottheimer's bill is a good idea, we need to make sure people are held accountable for their actions. The fact that nearly half of Americans have had a package stolen in recent years is just wild 
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... like we didn't already have enough to deal with on our doorsteps. Package theft has become a real thing now? I guess it's good that someone is taking the lead on this one - who knew porch pirates were going to be the downfall of society? 
Retailers gotta take responsibility for this too - refunds are basically non-existent, which is just rip-off central.
. This Porch Pirates Act sounds like a good start, but I hope it goes beyond just punishing thieves – let's also work on giving people some actual protection and support when their packages get swiped 
! I mean, have you seen how many people have had their stuff stolen? It's crazy! In my day, we didn't even get our mail delivered to our doors, so this is just ridiculous. And don't even get me started on the fines and punishments for these porch pirates - 87% premium on average packages stolen in NJ? That's wild! I've seen people in their 50s, 60s even, getting away with it, no hassle at all... or at least that's what they're telling the cops. Retailers need to step up and give those customers a break, you know? It's like, package theft is one thing, but when people get hurt or can't afford their medicine because of it... that's just wrong 
. This bill could really make a difference, especially if it helps local law enforcement coordinate with federal agencies to tackle the issue 
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