porch pirate

[pawrch pahy-ruht]

noun

Slang.

1. a thief who takes packages left outside doors by couriers.

   In some communities, police are baiting packages with tracking devices to capture and deter porch pirates.

Other Word Forms

• porch piracy noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of porch pirate¹

First recorded in 2010–15

Example Sentences

Such incidents have rattled homeowners, many of whom participate in the neighborhood-watch-style WhatsApp group that Stern messaged, where they trade information about porch pirates, solicitors and people they deem suspicious.

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As consumers are preparing to make their purchases, scammers and porch pirates are at the ready to exploit this holiday shopping event.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In the past year, porch pirates have stolen approximately $12 billion worth of packages, according to Security.org.

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But there’s not a lot of data from published studies that suggest doorbell cameras deter porch pirates.

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Police had been trying to locate a so-called bait package, a tracking device the department provides to members of the community to catch “porch pirates” in the act of theft, according to Lt.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

When To Use

What does porch pirate mean?

A porch pirate is a thief who steals packages delivered to front doorsteps or porches. They especially strike during the holiday season, when people order many gifts online for home delivery.