New Jersey lawmaker wants to make UPS and FedEx porch package theft a federal crime
New law will close ‘porch pirate’ loophole and help Americans fend off thieves
- New Jersey Representative Josh Gottheimer has unveiled the Porch Pirate Act, aiming to make the theft of packages delivered by private carriers a federal crime.
- Currently, federal law only protects packages delivered by the U.S. Postal Service, leaving those from private companies like FedEx or UPS vulnerable to theft without federal recourse.
- The proposed legislation would impose federal penalties for package theft, including up to ten years in prison and fines of up to $250,000, and grant federal agencies like the FBI investigative authority.
- Unveiled on Cyber Monday, the bill addresses the widespread issue of porch piracy, which has affected millions of Americans, with a quarter of victims never receiving refunds for stolen items.
- Gottheimer stated that this bipartisan action seeks to protect families and streamline the definition of porch piracy, ensuring gifts and essentials reach their intended recipients.