BILL NUMBER: S6020

SPONSOR: CANZONERI-FITZPATRICK
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the penal law, in relation to making the theft of a
package intentionally taken from a porch, driveway, doorway or other
area adjacent to the residence of another following delivery of the
package to such residence by the postal service or a commercial carrier
a felony

 
PURPOSE:

To add the theft of packages from porches, driveways, or doorways to
grand larceny in the fourth degree.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Amends section 155.30 of the penal law to add subdivision 5-a
to allow that the property that consists of a package, regardless of its
nature and value of such package, which is intentionally taken from a
porch, driveway, doorway or other area adjacent to the residence of
              

another following delivery of the package to such residence by the
postal service or a commercial carrier, to be a felony.

Section 2: Establishes the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

With the rapid increase in recent years of online commerce, there have
been ever-increasing reports of "porch pirates" who steal packages from
a porch or doorstep after it has been delivered. According to one study,
approximately 260 million packages were stolen from porches nationwide
in 2022, up from 210 million in 2021.

Any unwanted trespass on residential property is invasive and a
violation of another's space. In order to deter this type of activity,
there should be serious penalties in the form of a felony charge when a
theft of a package is committed anywhere on residential property.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2021-22: S.2285 Referred to Codes

2019-20: S.6794 Referred to Codes

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of November next succeeding the
date upon which it shall have become law.