PARCEL thefts reported to West Mercia Police are up 47 per cent, according to a recent study.
The number of parcels being stolen, up from 36 in 2016-17 to 53 in 2019/20, is considerably more than the national average of 17 per cent over the past four years.
Nationally, West Mercia Police is ninth in the national league table out of the 24 forces which responded to Freedom of Information requests.
It shows that opportunistic thieves in Worcestershire are taking advantage of parcels left on doorsteps when shoppers are out or unable to get to the door.
With online shopping on the rise during the pandemic, the number of parcels being stolen from doorsteps is likely to continue to increase.
The figures were obtained by the manufacturers of the Penn Parcel Box, Penn Elcom.
Chairman Roger Willems said: “With more of us shopping online more often, these figures act as a warning to domestic and business customers to find a secure solution for receiving parcels.”
