Residents completing their last-minute shopping online have been urged to be extra cautious as a worrying trend emerges in a major Australian city days before Christmas.
As people complete their last-minute online shopping in the weeks leading up to the festive season, there has been an increase in reported theft from front doors by what is known as “porch pirates”.
The first instance was reported in mid-December after footage of a man allegedly stealing a parcel from a front porch was posted online, warning others of potential thieves.
A man was spotted allegedly stealing a parcel from a Melbourne porch. Picture: Reddit
The man ran from the scene with the parcel in tow. Picture: Reddit
The footage, reportedly taken in Hughesdale in Melbourne’s southeast and shared on Reddit, revealed a man dressed in a black T-shirt and trousers walking up to the house and bending down to the touch the parcel before picking it up and running away.
“Porch pirates are out,” the post read. “Be careful with your deliveries.”
It’s a worrying trend that seems to be on the rise in the major city.
Days after the first Reddit post, another Melbourne resident reported having parcels stolen from their front door.
The person, who lives in Ivanhoe in Melbourne’s northeast, came home on December 18 to “find packages stolen” from their front porch.
It was once the resident checked their security footage they discovered a woman standing at the front door, reaching down and collecting small parcels from the porch, placing them in her duffel bag and leaving the scene.
“Thanks for ruining my day,” the person wrote on Reddit.
Online, the porch pirates were branded “scum” and shamed for pocketing packages so close to Christmas.
“What rotten behaviour,” someone said. “That could be a kid’s presents for all she knows.”
Another Melbourne resident reportedly caught a thief in the act. Picture: Reddit
They fled the scene shortly after pocketing the parcels. Picture: Reddit
Speaking to NewsWire, a spokesperson for Australia Post said there were steps residents could take to prevent theft from their front door.
“Theft after delivery is a criminal offence and we encourage customers to contact the police if they suspect their mail has been tampered with or stolen,” they said.
“Customers concerned about security or wanting a convenient alternative to home delivery can choose to redirect their mail and parcels to their local Post Office, a PO Box or one of our free 24/7 parcel lockers with the AusPost mobile app, even when the parcel is on its way.
“For any delivery service inquiries, we encourage customers to contact us on 13 POST so we can provide help and support,’ the spokesperson said.
NewsWire has contacted Victoria Police for comment.