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Florida attorney general advises people to report 'porch pirates' to law enforcement

Ashley Moody speaking at a podium
Daniel Wallace
/
Tampa General Hospital
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody speaks at Tampa General Hospital on Jan. 11, 2024, to raise awareness for human trafficking.

Ashley Moody is warning Floridians of an increase in criminals stealing packages from people’s doorsteps. Nationally, the crooks called porch pirates stole $12 billion worth of packages last year.

Attorney General Ashley Moody is warning Floridians of an increase in criminals stealing packages from people’s doorsteps. Nationally, the crooks called porch pirates stole $12 billion worth of packages last year.

Many crimes are never reported, as consumers often just work with retailers to replace the stolen product.

Moody is asking those who are victims of porch piracy to call law enforcement, in addition to the business they ordered their package from.

"We want to make sure that you are contacting local law enforcement, and you are reporting the crime so that they can stop this from happening to other people. If you happen to have a doorbell camera with video evidence, that is incredibly helpful as we pursue these investigations.”

A Florida law passed last year toughened criminal penalties for stealing items off porches, making it a 3rd-degree felony for stealing an item worth more than $40.

READ MORE: Florida attorney general challenges Starbucks' hiring practices, alleges 'racial quotas'

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