Criminal Law - Theft - Mail and Packages (Porch Piracy Act of 2026)
HB0788, the Porch Piracy Act of 2026, creates a new criminal offense for knowingly or willfully taking control of mail or a package delivered to another person, without permission, and with the intent to deprive the owner of it. The bill defines “mail or package” broadly to include items delivered or left for pickup by the U.S. Postal Service or a delivery service company that delivers tangible personal property.
A person convicted under the new section would be guilty of a felony and subject to up to 5 years of imprisonment. The bill also authorizes the sentencing court to impose stay-away conditions as part of sentencing, including prohibiting the defendant from returning to the location of the offense, the victim’s property, the victim’s workplace, or other locations the State’s Attorney proved were targeted during the offense. The act would take effect October 1, 2026.
The bill adds a new section to Maryland’s Criminal Law Article, creating a specific felony offense for mail and package theft and expanding sentencing options for courts in these cases. It would give prosecutors a clearer statutory basis to charge porch piracy and would allow judges to impose location-based restrictions on convicted defendants as a condition of sentencing. The measure affects individuals accused of stealing delivered mail or packages, delivery recipients, and property owners who may benefit from enhanced deterrence and victim protection.
The available context suggests the bill is framed as a public-safety and property-protection measure, with no recorded committee testimony or votes indicating opposition or support in the provided materials. The title and structure of the bill indicate a straightforward effort to address porch piracy, which is generally a widely recognized nuisance and theft issue. Because no transcripts or vote history are included, the overall sentiment can only be characterized as neutral-to-supportive based on the bill’s purpose and limited legislative context.
The main potential point of contention is the scope and severity of the penalty: the bill makes mail and package theft a felony punishable by up to five years in prison, which may raise concerns about proportionality for lower-value thefts or first-time offenders. Another possible issue is the breadth of the definition of “mail or package,” which covers items delivered by USPS or private delivery services and could be applied broadly. The stay-away sentencing provisions may also prompt discussion about judicial discretion, enforceability, and how far courts should be able to restrict a defendant’s movement after conviction.