The criminal gangs swiping parcels from doorsteps and delivery vans are likely to be on overdrive this Christmas – but now their tactics have been exposed in a new documentary.
Every day in the UK, thieves known as ‘porch pirates’ steal thousands of packages before they reach their recipient. The problem has grown as online orders soar in popularity over shopping on the high street.
A shocking £666.5million worth of parcels have been stolen in the UK this year, nearly doubling from 2024.
This spike in thefts is the focus of Channel 4’s documentary Hunting Britain’s Parcel Thieves: Dispatches.
Investigative journalist Tir Dhondy spent a day with a professional thief to lift the lid on this crime. Many of these thieves believe there is a low risk of being caught.
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Tir focused on hotspots, mostly around London, in an area known for ‘porch pirates’. Thieves believe these places have richer targets and very little chance of being caught.
In a sting operation, Tir and her team put trackers on parcels left enticingly on doorsteps for the thieves to swipe.
Some contained North Face jackets, while others had tech like speakers or headphones. They were all plundered in a short amount of time from the doorsteps – one ring doorbell even filmed the thief in the act.
Tir told Metro: ‘Some of the packs were tracked to blocks of flats in south London and one with headphones was at a shop in north west London. The thefts of parcels are widespread and affect so many people.
‘Some of the thieves are opportunists who take stuff from the doorstep but others involve a higher level of sophistication. They rob delivery vans and there is sometimes the use of violence – it’s very dangerous for the drivers,’ she added.
A professional thief, named only as J in the documentary, showed Tir the tactics used and even brought her to a middle man, who opened up a shed filled with packages – like an Aladdin’s cave of stolen parcels.
J revealed how easy it is to grab items from doorsteps, while he has also gone so far as to use the threat of violence on delivery drivers.
Tir said: ‘This is a very organised criminal industry. The big losers can be the delivery drivers who suffer financially as they need to ensure the parcel is safely delivered and are often self employed.
‘They can also be attacked. For the person receiving the parcel, they are usually covered and need to speak to the company they bought from.’
J explained how easy it is to sell the stolen goods, but adds that sex toys are the exception in a quirky aside – apparently they don’t sell well.
In the investigation, Tir also joined a police operation against parcel thieves, showing how the crime has risen on the agenda of police forces across Britain.
Figures show 4.83million homes suffered at least one stolen parcel in 2025, with the average price of the items lost being £138.
In February, a porch pirate in Bournemouth shamed into moving out of a block of flats after he had been caught stealing more than a dozen parcels from his neighbours.
Which areas in the UK are worst hit by 'porch pirates'?
With almost eight in ten people believing authorities should take parcel theft more seriously, the problem has clearly become a concern across the country.
However, the most affected areas are:
- Leicestershire – 799 reports
- Hertfordshire – 767 reports
- Kent – 750 reports
On the other side of the issue, the fewest incidents were reported in the City of London (3) and Cheshire (16).
This is according to consumer research by Quadient, which also showed that people are looking for safer delivery options due to concern about parcel theft.
Some 64% of the UK public would be more comfortable using secure parcel lockers or collection points instead of doorstep delivery.
Additionally, 68% said they would prefer to miss a delivery entirely rather than risk having their parcel stolen.
Some thieves have been caught in the act too, with doorbell footage showing a man steal a package from a doorstep last year – mere seconds after the delivery driver dropped it off.
With Christmas fast approaching and delivery vans everywhere, Tir advised all households to be extra vigilant.
She said: ‘Ring doorbells are good and make sure if you ask the driver to leave something in a safe space it is safe.’
December is the busiest month for parcel theft, with November in second place as online orders roll in during Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.
Hunting Britain’s Parcel Thieves: Dispatches – available to watch and stream on Channel 4 at 8pm on Friday, December 19.
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