You heard of porch pirates — that is, thieves who swipe package deliveries left on stoops, stairs and, of course, your porch. Maybe you or someone you know has fallen victim to the scourge, but Arkansas residents now have a new law to protect them.
THV11 reports the new law will make perpetrators who poach packages face felony charges, upgrading the crime from a misdemeanor.
Congressman Lee Johnson sponsored the bill making porch pirating a Class D felony, which means those convicted face up to six years in prison. Rep. Johnson said he drafted the legislation after the pandemic forced people to have important supplies shipped to their home — which, sometimes, landed in the wrong hands.
“You know, with the pandemic we saw that it wasn’t just birthday presents, but also groceries and medical supplies,” he said.
Conway City Attorney Charles Finkenbinder urges residents impacted by porch pirates to report the crime to their local police station — no matter how small the package may be.
“People don’t always report the theft to police, but they usually report it to social media,” he said, noting that residents should also turn over footage from their video camera doorbells — should they have them — to police to help identify the perpetrator.
Experts say the best way to thwart porch pirates is to have your packages delivered to your workplace, or leave instructions for the delivery person to place your packages in a location that cannot easily be seen from the road.