TULSA COUNTY — Four years after Oklahoma lawmakers passed stricter penalties for package theft, the law's effectiveness remains questionable.
2 News has followed Oklahoma Porch Piracy law since it passed in 2020.
Local News
Problem Solvers: OK Bill Aims to Crack Down on Porch Pirates
It make stealing packages from porches in Oklahoma a felony if a porch pirate is caught stealing packages three times within 60 days.
Felony convictions carry up to five years in prison along with fines up to $5,000.
Misdemeanor convictions carry penalties of up to one year behind bars and/or a $500 fine.
Data from the Tulsa County District Attorney's Office shows only 72 people have been charged under the law since it took effect with 45 convictions.
When 2 news obtained the same data from the Tulsa DA's office in November of 2024 it showed only 37 people charged since the law went into effect, and 17 convictions.
Problem Solvers
Porch pirates seldom prosecuted under Porch Pirate Act in Tulsa County
"I was kind of taken back that we hadn't had more of them prosecuted in Tulsa County because it just seems like a no brainer that if we want to protect our citizens and protect our property, we have to have prosecutions," said State Rep. Ross Ford, the Broken Arrow Republican who sponsored the legislation.
In a statement, the Tulsa County DA's Office told 2 News the numbers it provided reflect adult cases only, adding,
"These crimes are often committed by juveniles that have their records sealed, but our juvenile division is successful in holding juvenile offenders accountable."
"There may be a juvenile component to it, said Ford, "but from what I know these are adults that are making these decisions to go out and and steal these items to you know to either use it for their personal use or you know to sell it to maybe to buy drugs or something else."
He added perspective from his time as a police officer, "Porch piracy is a tough crime to catch. Unless you're just in the right place at the right time or you pull somebody over, an officer pulls somebody over and notices a bunch of packages that are addressed to different people. It's difficult to prosecute."
Ford also emphasized the importance of reporting every porch piracy incident to police.
"Be sure every time you have a package taken from your porch that you know of, make a police report," Ford said. "If police doesn't know that it happened, there's nothing we can really do to stop it."
Oklahoma faces higher financial losses despite lower theft rates
While Oklahoma households average only 0.2 package thefts per year — one of the lowest rates nationally — stolen packages in the state had a median value of $143 in 2024, which is 78.8% higher than the national average.
Oklahoma is among only 11 states classifying package theft as a felony, joining Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas.
Nationally, package theft resulted in $15.7 billion in losses from 241 million stolen packages in 2024, affecting 58 million Americans.
Holiday season brings increased risk
The holiday shipping season creates prime opportunities for package thieves, with 70% of Americans expecting more porch piracy after Black Friday and Cyber Monday. About 12% of shoppers have had at least one holiday gift stolen.
Consumers should remain vigilant about scam communications claiming delivery problems. Avoid clicking links in suspicious emails or texts, and never provide personal information about when you'll be home. Instead, contact delivery services directly if concerned about a package.
The DA's office emphasized their commitment to prosecution: "Protecting personal property and prosecuting thieves is critical for public safety. The advent of technology makes these crimes easier and easier to prosecute, and thieves are more and more discouraged from attempting these crimes."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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