Why Are There Porch Pirates?

 One of the current scourges of shoppers everywhere is the fear their Amazon, FedEx, or USPS delivery won't make it through the front door. In case you haven't noticed, especially with Amazon, not only do they text you that they made a delivery, they include a photo of the package where it has been left on your porch. 

That is well and good unless a porch thief has been following the truck and is doing some porch shopping. While it is a daily problem, it is especially bad during various holidays when gift giving (and stealing) is expected.

I have become addicted lately watching porch thieves videos on Facebook. I stumbled on one after posting photos and description of a current artwork. While I watched I couldn't believe they taunt the camera as they snatch and grab. The treat, of course, is the exploding box that surely will ruin their clothes, their car and hopefully their day!

Stealing has consequences as the purple man here is discovering but the question remains, to me, why?

The Porch Thief here, comes up to the porch, makes a snarky remark to the camera and heads back to his $600,000 Rolls Royce SUV, complaining as the box explodes, then curses. I mean, well, it IS a surprise. The question remains, why? Is this how you can pay for a Rolls Royce SUV?

In retrospect I don't think he considered this smart move very well. I mean how do you explain this to the insurance man and your dry cleaners because this is paint baby and it's on everything!

It can't be a matter of money, can it? These people are driving Rolls Royce SUV's, exotic sports cars, Cybertrucks, many that will be ruined in their joyous glee of putting "freebies" in their cars. 

This young lady appears to have more than enough "things." What makes it so important that she needs more? Short of cash?

Have Americans become so greedy, in all classes, that they feel it's their right to walk on to private property, pick up a package NOT addressed to them on a private porch and walk away? 

Really? Surprise!

But the most galling thing to me are the angry (why of course I'm sure they are angry after being caught pink, blue, green or red handed) arguments they make. "I was 'just' crossing your porch and 'stumbled"'on your package." Why were they on private property at all? Mothers and grandmothers defend their wayward children rather than giving them some kind of punishment for stealing. I'm sure I'm not alone having had your mother make you go back to return something you stole, or pay for it AND apologize for stealing something at the local store. That's what parents did, once upon a time. Even the kids in the video dragged these parents away in full acknowledgement of what they did as they stood dripping in paint.

Of course not all surprises are paint or glitter. One ingenious homeowner used his pet lynx that flew through the door for the surprise of that porch thief 's life. I don't think he'll be calling there again.

Unfortunately even the "politically correct" are not immune from a "little" present now and then. You can't help but laugh at their greed but also wonder what has made this acceptable in our society at any level.

Many cities suffered "smash and grab" events where 20 or 30 people in black hoodies and masks would rush a store armed with hammer and crow bars to break cases and grab what they could in say 30 seconds. Videos of their cars showed anything but junkers. Are they bored? Does this give them a thrill?

The answer is probably yes. In the 50's and 60's many of us had jobs. Between school, maybe sports or band and a part time jobs there wasn't time to be bored. Today youth are crowded out of part time jobs by under employed college grads asking if you want fry's at McDonalds. Working parents leave unattended kids at home with time to get into mischief. I came home to mom who asked about homework and made the decision if I had to study now or could wait until after dinner.

However, it's not just kids. Here an adult with a Porsche, no less, is learning a lesson about sticky fingers. Why would she jeopardize all she has for a box she has no idea what its contents are? I guess enough is never enough.

Actions have ramifications and will not be ignored. Whether these are staged or real videos, owners have rights too and trespassing on private property, stealing merchandise not belonging to you and leaving (stealing) with it have ramifications. As the Bible says in the 10 Commandments, "Thou shall not steal." It means exactly that; do not take what is NOT yours. And in case you forget, some jurisdictions will send a police officer who can write you up and/or take you to jail.

Maybe it's the thrill of it all but whether an owner will go to such lengths for future thefts or not, I know that they wish they could. And for those that do, let's hope these thieves have learned a lesson they will never forget!!!

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