Medford business helps stop "porch pirates"

(DECEMBER 21, 2019) You order something from online. The package is conveniently delivered to your home. You are not there when the package arrives, so the delivery person leaves it at your door. A thief sees your package and takes it.

These criminals are called "porch pirates" because they steal the package from your porch. It is a growing problem. According to a survey in Forbes magazine, 18% of people know someone who has experienced this. About 50% worry that it might happen to them. 38% say they use a different delivery address.

Dave Wetell wants to help. He owns a business called Southern Oregon Signs in Medford. His company accepts deliveries from the U.S. Postal Services, Fed-Ex, and UPS. He does this for free.

“I’m here pretty much seven days a week at my shop. And the packages don’t bother me or my employees. And it’s just something good for my community. A way I can help out a little,” he told the Mail Tribune newspaper.

“I hate thieves. And I’ve got cameras at my house. But the cameras don’t help you catch people before they rip you off. I send everything to my shop. So I figure why not let everyone else do that, too. It’s not a big thing for us. And it helps the community.”