Caught by a Ring Doorbell?
Packages are stolen from porches and doorsteps all across this country at an alarming rate—especially around the holidays. But with easy and inexpensive access to home security available to everyone these days, more than a few porch pirates have been caught lurking where they don’t belong, with a resulting increase in arrests. If this sounds all too familiar, you may be in the market for an experienced criminal defense attorney.
Facts About Porch Pirating
Porch pirates—given the colloquial term in reference to their propensity to plunder from unsuspecting online consumers—nab packages out of yards and doorways literally worth billions, which is more than a little inconvenient and frustrating to the public and the police charged with addressing local crime. Some interesting data on the issue include:
- Last year $12 billion in merchandise was stolen from porches and yards.
- 58 million victims of porch piracy lost property in 2023—that’s one out of every four citizens.
- Black and brown people are doubly at risk of being victimized in this way than white people.
- Apartments dwellers are twice as likely to be hit by porch pirates than those who live in houses.
Precautions People Take
With the proliferation of porch pirates, people have been taking steps to protect their purchase, including:
- Installing doorbell cameras and other security cameras;
- Installing motion-detector lighting;
- Having neighbors keep an eye out for deliveries and/or strangers.
Nevada Law
Theft laws in Nevada are quite strict, and, depending on the price of the item(s) stolen, could result in anything from charges of petty theft to grand larceny. Penalties for these crimes range widely, with a conviction for items under $250 punishable by six months behind bars and $1,000 in fines. Penalties of up to five years in prison and $10,000 in fines could be handed down to those found guilty of grand larceny, which involves the theft of packages worth over $650.
Defending Charges
If you’ve been accused of stealing packages from others, there are a number of possible defenses worth considering:
- Mistaken identity: They got the wrong person;
- No criminal intent: You did take the package, but legitimately thought it was yours (more likely in an apartment scenario);
- Misunderstanding: The package was in a public area and you thought it was intended for you;
- Violation of your rights: Perhaps you were not read your Miranda rights or there was an improper search and seizure.
A Vigorous Defense
At Lobo Law our Las Vegas criminal defense attorneys fight for and secure the best possible outcomes for you. To discuss your situation, schedule a confidential consultation in our Las Vegas office today.
Source:
leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-205.html
