Porch pirate steals $2400 worth of packages in Edmonton

Imagine you just want to return 2400-dollar worth of tech, and just in mere seconds it was completely gone.

That’s what happened to an Edmonton woman on the 5th of December.

“I could not believe it like it was happening right in front of my door,” said Sara Harb, Porch Pirate Victim.

A porch pirate snatched 2400-dollar work laptop and monitor, that was supposed to be picked up by UPS.

“I just placed it outside and I felt a footstep in front of my door, and I got a notification from my ring that there’s somebody at my door. By the time I washed my hands, and I picked up the phone, it took me 10 seconds to realize somebody was stealing my packages,” said Harb.

Harb is just one of the new victims of the Christmas grinch.

Just this September and October, Edmonton police saw a 47 per cent spike in porch pirate cases, with more than 110 cases reported in October alone.

“It’s becoming very risky to order stuff online even for myself. The next day after the incident happened, I received five packages, I called my neighbour immediately to just grab them from in front of my door,” said Harb.

While Harb’s work devices are insured, what about other people who buy their online items using credit cards? According to the insurance Bureau of Canada, standard home or tenant’s insurance policy does cover stolen items,  but it is subject to a deductible.

“A standard home or tenant’s insurance policy does cover a stolen item, but this is subject to a deductible and any other policy terms/limits outlined in the insured’s policy. Some content items do have specific coverage limits, and this varies by policy and by insurance provider. All homeowners and tenants are encouraged to contact their insurance representatives with any questions.” – Insurance Bureau of Canada.

For credit card purchases, MasterCard says each card issuer secures a policy with insurance for purchase protection.

“Many credit cards provide purchase protection, which is managed by the card issuer (financial institutions) directly. Each issuer secures a policy with an insurance underwriter for purchase protection and the nuances may be up to the discretion of the policy.” – Mastercard.

“Never trust, even if I saw UPS in front of me, until I hand them the piece right into their hands. I just never trust,” said Harb.