Jacksonville, IL – Residents across Morgan County and the wider central Illinois region are being urged to take extra precautions this week as holiday package deliveries increase and law enforcement warns of heightened “porch pirate” activity. The reminder comes as millions of Americans begin receiving online orders ahead of Thanksgiving and Christmas, a period historically associated with spikes in doorstep thefts.
According to the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, package theft remains one of the nation’s most common property crimes, with an estimated 250,000 thefts occurring each day across the U.S. Officials note that while national reports indicate a slight decline this year, the overall economic impact still exceeds $37 billion annually. Many victims lose multiple packages in a single incident, and most thefts take place during daytime hours when homeowners are at work or school.
National statistics shared by the sheriff’s office show that approximately 44% of Americans have experienced package theft at least once. Victims who have already been targeted face more than a 50% chance of being targeted again, according to the National Neighborhood Watch.
The agency is encouraging residents in Morgan County, Jacksonville, South Jacksonville, and surrounding communities to take preventative measures as shipment volumes peak this week. Suggested security steps include using package lockers, installing security cameras, requesting signature-only deliveries, having packages routed to workplaces, setting up delivery notifications, or asking neighbors to retrieve packages when away.
The sheriff’s office added that residents traveling for Thanksgiving should reschedule deliveries or place holds to avoid packages sitting unattended for long periods — a key factor in most thefts.
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