Harder Backs Bill to Fight Porch Pirates

Press Release

Today, Representative Josh Harder announced that he is backing a new bill, the Porch Pirates Act of 2022, to combat package theft across the Valley by making USPS mail theft a federal crime. Porch piracy is especially dangerous for seniors and disabled individuals who rely on delivery services for vital necessities such as medicine and groceries. According to a recent C+R Research survey, more than one in three Americans has had a package stolen from outside their home.

"We all know the feeling: you order something important, it says it was delivered, you go outside, and it's nowhere to be found. It's absurd people keep getting away with stealing from our families," said Rep. Harder. "Whether it's our seniors missing their medications or new parents missing that next set of diapers, it's time we made porch piracy a federal crime to stop this from happening."

The Porch Pirates Act of 2022 would apply the same federal penalties that apply to the theft of United States Postal Service (USPS) mail to the theft of commercial packages from private carriers such as Amazon, FedEx, and UPS. The current penalties for the theft of non-USPS mail are minimal. While some states have enacted stronger penalties for theft of non-USPS mail and packages, most have not -- leaving the majority of Americans unprotected.

This legislation is supported by the United Parcel Service (UPS) and FedEx.

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