'A disease out there': Texas man hopes product stops porch pirates
AUSTIN (KXAN) — As the inevitable uptick in package thefts prepares to plague porches across the country this holiday season, one man hopes he may have a solution.
“It’s a disease out there that’s affecting every household," said Bob Safstrom of San Antonio. “I can’t imagine having a grandchild, ordering something special, it gets delivered to the front door, and mama goes out to pick it up from the front door, and it’s gone.”
After watching continuous news coverage about package thefts, he said he started brainstorming solutions.
That led him to create Safe Drop. It's a locker-type system, pictured below, that you can install in your garage door. You give delivery personnel the code, and they can open it up and place the packages safety inside.
In 2019, Texas passed new laws aimed to deter porch pirates, making certain cases felonies.
According to a 2021 article in the Houston Law Review, such legislation hasn't made a dent in deterring criminals. One in five Americans have claimed to have had a package stolen from outside their front door.
The article suggests big-name delivery companies should contribute to preventative measures.
It states "the law ought to facilitate greater private sector participation in combatting porch piracy by creating a civil cause of action that would allow delivery companies to play a larger role in the solution."
“One little porch pirate can ruin that whole Christmas holiday," Safstrom said.
For him, his product isn't just business.
“It’s gratifying to me, because I can help some people out," he said.