Forum

Staffordshire Police are reminding people who shop online to be mindful about where their parcels are being left following a spate of doorstep thefts recently.

Many of us use online shopping as a quick and convenient way to buy goods but if parcels are delivered and left on a doorstep, they can easily be stolen by opportunistic thieves.

On Thursday 12 June, an Amazon package containing around £100-worth of goods was stolen from a property in Burslem and a week later, a package containing £30-worth of goods was stolen from a doorstop in Stafford.

Most recently, around £40-worth of Lego was stolen from a doorstep in Stone on Thursday 19 June.

Our investigations are ongoing.

Inspector Victoria Ison, from our Stoke-on-Trent north local policing team (LPT) said: “With more of us now choosing to shop online, thieves are now targeting doorsteps as part of their criminality.

“These thefts are preventable and we’re asking everyone to be cautious about when and where parcels are delivered.”

Here are some actions to take to reduce the risk of parcel theft: Track your parcel to ensure you or someone else is home at time of delivery. Install a video doorbell so you are notified of any delivery. Arrange for your parcel to be delivered to a trusted neighbour or safe space if you are not going to be home. Use an off-site locker service for frequent deliveries or expensive items, they are much more secure.

If you think a parcel has been stolen or have seen anything suspicious, call us on 101 or use Live Chat on our website.