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An easy solution to "porch pirates" in the US

In the United States (and I believe in a couple of other countries) there's a common practice that feels absolutely incomprehensible and preposterous to most other countries: And that's the phenomenon of delivery companies (and, I believe, even governmental postal services) leaving people's orders and packets near the front door of their home (usually on the porch, or even on the driveway if there's no porch). Yes, completely unattended, for any passerby to steal.

Some such delivery companies might ring the bell to see if anybody is home, but others don't even do that. They just leave the package there and go away, without even notifying the residents.

This is absolutely incomprehensible and, I believe, actually illegal in most countries: They are legally responsible for people's property until it has been picked up in person by the legal recipient. In most countries such packages need to be either picked up in person, delivered to the recipient in person, or locked in a postal box from which the legal owner can pick it up (with a code that only that person is given). Absolutely in no circumstances can the postal office or delivery services leave someone's property in the open, unattended, for somebody to just take.

What's most baffling is that in most of the United States this practice seems to be taken as completely normal, and something one just has to live with. Just as there's nothing that can be done to avoid the rain, or a storm, or having to put gas in your car, likewise delivery companies leaving your property unattended on your front porch is something that's normal and just has to be accepted and adjusted to.

Well, news flash to all my American friends: It's not something you just have to accept and live with.

The solution is very easy: Make it illegal. That's it. That's the solution. It works perfectly fine in other countries.

Will it sometimes cause a tiny bit of extra inconvenience because, for example, you need to pick up your own packages from a postal office or delivery company premises because you weren't home when they tried to deliver it? Maybe. But if you are not willing to go through that extremely minute trouble to have your own property safe and secured, then you are just stupid. There's no other way of putting it.

Either pass a law that dictates that postal services and delivery companies cannot leave other people's property unattended in an open place where anybody can grab it, or a law that makes the delivery company themselves financially responsible for the property if it gets stolen. Preferably both.

Will delivery companies use that as an excuse to marginally increasing their delivery fees? Probably. Question is: Are you willing to risk your property being stolen in order to save a few pennies from a delivery? If you are, then once again: You are just being stupid. Stop being stupid.

As long as your country does not pass such a law, then you'll have to live with the consequences and stop complaining about it. 

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