porch pirate

plural porch pirates

1. slangA criminal who steals a delivered package from a porch.

   A smart security camera promises a remote way to screen visitors, monitor pets and track package deliveries (or the porch pirates who are stealing them).

   2026 February 11, Dorie Chevlen, “What Homeowners Need to Know About Smart Home Cameras”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

   2 more examples

   After Bohlan's home security system recorded a porch pirate stealing packages from his doorstep, he reported the theft to the police department...and volunteered his own doorstep as a place where police could leave "bait" packages to catch porch pirates.

   2018, Uncle John's Actual and Factual Bathroom Reader, page 271

   As Banks saw it, Fairley had been caught in a web of surveillance, gentrification, and racism, in which vigilante neighbors targeted her for anything that went missing, when, in fact, many other porch pirates were also stealing in Potrero.

   2019 November 1, Lauren Smiley, “The Porch Pirate of Potrero Hill Can’t Believe It Came to This”, in The Atlantic