Porch Pirate
A package thief
Example
We ended up buying a lockbox for our packages; that's how bad the porch pirates have gotten in our neighborhood
Related Slang
BOLO | Be on the lookout |
Lick | Theft |
B&E | Breaking and entering |
sus | Suspicious |
Caught in 4K | Caught in the act |
CYM | Check your mail |
Primenesia | Forgetting what you ordered through Amazon Prime |
Virtual restaurant | Delivery-only restaurant |
A porch pirate is a person who steals packages from people's porches, stoops, or doorways. While porch pirates have been around as long as there have been deliveries, they became more prevalent during the covid era, as consumers forced to shop online ordered more packages from Amazon and other online vendors.
Typically, porch pirates steal packages they expect to contain expensive items, in hopes they can resell those items. Sometimes, however, porch pirates steal less-valuable items simply because it is easy to do so without being caught.
Those who have been the victim of porch piracy may post about porch pirates on social media and in online neighborhood hubs (like Nextdoor). For example, a homeowner who recently had a package stolen may post footage of the theft, to alert others and potentially catch the porch pirate. Or, a business that keeps getting hit by porch pirates may ask others for tips on preventing porch piracy.