The Unexpected Target: Medicine Theft by Porch Pirates

During the holiday season, mail theft becomes more frequent. While thieves anticipate grabbing an iPad, they're just as likely to snatch crucial mail-order medicines. Learn the necessary steps to protect your medical supplies.

A Personal Story of Theft

Carmen Peterson recalls her son's fondness for Elmo and Mickey Mouse. Though her 8-year-old, Ethan, cannot speak, his joy is evident when he participates in his own musical way.

Ethan lives with a rare genetic condition causing seizures that strike without warning, dropping him to the floor.

These episodes pose real risks, as his mother describes witnessing him fall on various hard surfaces, necessitating urgent hospital visits.

To manage his condition, Ethan relies on a specific medication. Last year, during the festive season, this medication was stolen from their porch in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The discovery of the open, empty box was confirmed by reviewing footage from her doorbell camera, capturing a man walking away with the package.

The challenge lay in replacing this $1,800 medication swiftly enough to avoid Ethan missing his dose.

With the demand for online orders peaking in December, the porch pirate activity also sees a surge.

Understanding the Theft Problem

The complexity of online shopping means that packages pass through many hands before reaching their destination, making it difficult to precisely trace theft incidents.

A study involving theft reports shows inconsistent information sharing, leading many cases to go unreported or misclassified.

Alarming statistics reveal that around 250,000 packages are stolen each day, as reported by SafeWise.

In one year, at least 58 million packages went missing, some containing essential medications, highlighting a larger issue beyond common goods.

Preventive Measures to Consider

To minimize your chances of falling prey to theft, consider scheduling deliveries when you can receive them personally or have packages delivered to a discreet location.

Utilizing porch lockers, even ones without locks, can serve as a deterrent to potential thieves.

Companies like Express Scripts and Optum Rx note that while medication theft is rare, necessary precautions are still crucial.

Pharmacy services offer tracking options and sometimes require a signature to ensure safe deliveries.

Ensuring patients do not miss doses, especially during busy times, remains a priority, says Optum Pharmacy’s Loss Prevention Director.

Victims should immediately notify their pharmacy, healthcare provider, and police if theft occurs.

Carmen’s Empowered Response

Faced with refusals from her pharmacy, Carmen made her struggles public. Her story gained attention and action. Jazz Pharmaceuticals intervened, providing a replacement medication.

Carmen now advises others to use P.O. boxes, workplace addresses, or direct pharmacy pick-ups for vital medicines.