Amazon Crime! West Yorkshire police report over 100 doorstep parcel thefts

Thefts of parcels and packages from our doorsteps have surged by nearly one quarter over the last three years, according to police records.
Thefts of parcels and packages from our doorsteps have surged.Thefts of parcels and packages from our doorsteps have surged.
Thefts of parcels and packages from our doorsteps have surged.

The data, obtained under the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act by iParcelBox, showed a whopping 2,578 thefts were reported to 23 police forces which supplied information across the UK.

The figures show a rise a rise of 786 thefts in the financial year 2016-2017 up to 962 in 2018-2019 - an increase of 22 per cent.

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The total figures of UK parcel theft are likely to be substantially higher, as only half of the UK’s police forces provided a formal response.

West Yorkshire police recorded 115 cases of parcel theft.

The area with the highest levels was Lancashire Constabulary, which reported 292 thefts in total and 108 in the last 12 months.

The West Country was also revealed as a hotspot for parcel crime with 20 per cent of all thefts coming from this area.

The lowest areas of parcel theft came from Nottinghamshire Constabulary with only 21 accounts of parcel theft over a three-year period.

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Paul Needler, founder of iParcelBox said: “It’s clear that the online shopping surge is fuelling a new crimewave of parcel thefts across the UK. For opportunistic thieves, the chance to steal an unattended parcel that is sitting on the doorstep is irresistible.

“Asking the delivery driver to place your package under a flowerpot or behind your wheelie bin when you’re out should no longer be an option."