Porch pirates grab Holiday packages from Canadians  

During the holiday season, many Canadians had the unpleasant surprise of discovering that their online order had been stolen from their doorstep.

The number of stolen packages is hard to estimate because as the Christmas season was approaching, the opportunities increased heavily.

Not all stolen goods are reported to the police or to the delivery company’s customer service and the police were unable to provide an exact number because they do not have a specific category for this type of theft.

As for online sales companies and Canada Post, those who responded to our requests did not wish to disclose the number of parcel thefts reported by their customers.

Aurélie said that her package that was delivered a few days before Christmas was stolen in front of her house. While on vacation, she had asked a friend to pick up her package, but by the time the friend arrived in front of her house, the package was gone.

She added it was not enough to ruin her Christmas, but said she was disappointed.

On the other hand, photographer Guillaume Gorini said his stolen package ruined his holiday season.

He said that two years ago, he had ordered a “very expensive” camera from Amazon at the end of the year, but his package, at the time of delivery, was exchanged for another. “I then delivered this package to the correct address, hoping to receive my camera, but it was not there,” he noted. “I immediately filed a complaint with Amazon customer service and the subcontracted delivery company. An internal investigation was opened, but I never heard back.”

Eventually, Amazon gave him a full refund and he reordered, asking them to “camouflage the shipment.” “This time, everything went well, but the experience was quite shocking and stressful. In our building, if no one answers the intercom, delivery people sometimes leave packages outside, which can lead to disappearances.”

On social media, there were many posts that reported package thefts in December – with some even attaching a photo or video of the crime that was recorded by video doorbell devices.

Stéphanie Harvey posted photos online of a theft that took place in front of a home on Saint-Joseph Blvd. in the “Info à Lachine” group which took place “literally seconds after the FedEx delivery.”

An anonymous woman also reported a theft on social media.

A gift for her son was stolen from her doorstep a few days after Christmas but she said she received a notification saying that her package had been delivered with a photo of her doorstep.

“We weren’t home at the time, we arrived two hours later,” she said. “We live in a six-unit block, on the second floor, so there’s no coming and going other than us and our neighbour, who wasn’t home.”

She suspects the delivery man took the package back after sending the photo, but she is not certain since the theft was not filmed. She said her son was disappointed because he was eager to receive his gift. Her refund request is currently being processed.

Austin Stowe, a spokesperson for Amazon, said in an emailed statement that “While the vast majority of deliveries reach customers without issue, we are aware that there are bad actors who wear clothing resembling our uniform and steal packages from our customers. We encourage anyone who has been a victim of theft to report the crime to the police and we will work with law enforcement to assist in any way we can.”

In an interview, Stowe said that package theft techniques have evolved, and thieves “have adapted.”

“We’re seeing more and more people wearing outfits that closely mimic Amazon’s uniform,” he added. “That’s why we strongly encourage customers, if they think they’re dealing with someone wearing a fake uniform, to contact the police.”

Stowe said he couldn’t specify what a real Amazon delivery person is supposed to look like because he didn’t want to give away any information that would allow thieves to perfect their deception. He mainly advised customers to track their packages in real time and to tell the delivery person “a hidden drop-off location so that the packages are not visible.”

He added, among other things, that customers have the option of having their packages delivered to locations they frequent that are part of Amazon’s network, to pickup locations, or simply to their workplace.

However, this was not the first time that Aurélie had a package stolen.

Previously, a professional package that was delivered to her workplace was stolen. It had been left in the lobby of the building.

“It was a customer’s package. She asked me: ‘Didn’t you find a package delivered this morning?’ It was around 12 p.m. and the package had been delivered at 10 a.m. She had received a photo of the package, but it was no longer there.”

A spokesperson at Canada Post replied in an email that customers “who believe they have not received an item should contact the sender.”

They also specified that people who think their package is missing should contact Canada Post Customer Service.

Canada Post also said they will investigate and collaborate “if possible” with the sender, “who can submit a claim to us. People should also contact the sender to ask that the package be reshipped or obtain a refund.”

However, Aurélie chose not to seek a refund or resend her Christmas package. She said she believes that, depending on the platforms, “it’s sometimes a lot of paperwork for a package that won’t necessarily be returned or refunded anyway.”

She also doesn’t plan on changing delivery systems because that’s “what they offer. And then everyone is happy to have their package at their door, it’s much easier than going to pick it up at offices where you know it closes at 5 or 6 a.m. But for you, it’s your work hours, so you can never go and pick up a package.”

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews