New legislation passed by Pennsylvania lawmakers aims to crack down on porch pirating or mail theft with increased penalties based on both offenses and the value of stolen property, writes Sean Kitchen for The Keystone.

Senate Bill 527 was introduced by State Sen. Frank Farry and signed into law by Gov. Josh Shapiro just ahead of the holiday season.

“With online shopping being a growing method of commerce, package thefts have been on the rise nationwide,” said Farry. “It’s time to hold these thieves accountable. This bill focuses on repeat offenders by using a grading system that would increase the penalties if the thief had prior convictions for theft of mail.”

First-time offenders will be charged with a summary offense for their first offense if the stolen items are worth less than $200. A second offense involving the theft of a package under $200 will result in upgraded charges to a second-degree misdemeanor.

Offenders who steal mail packages that exceed $200 in value will be charged with a first-degree misdemeanor for their first or second offense. A person caught stealing for a third time or stealing mail that exceeds $2,000 could then receive a third-degree felony.

Read more about the new bill in The Keystone.