THE number of parcels and packages stolen from doorsteps in Gwent has risen sharply over the past three years.

New figures have shown just six such thefts were reported to Gwent Police between April 2016 and March 2017 - but the following year it more than doubled to 16. And between April 2018 and March this year there were 22 such thefts - an increase of 266 per cent.

The figures obtained under the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act by home delivery service iParcelBox showed 2,578 thefts were reported to 23 police forces which supplied information across the UK over the three-year period, with an average increase of 22 per cent.

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Although Gwent was among the lowest, with 44 thefts over the three years, there were none at all reported to South Wales Police. The area with the highest levels of parcel thefts was Lancashire, where 292 thefts were reported in total - including 108 in the last 12 months.

Paul Needler, founder of iParcelBox, said: “It’s clear that the online shopping surge is fuelling a new crimewave of parcel thefts across the UK.

“For opportunistic thieves, the chance to steal an unattended parcel that is sitting on the doorstep is irresistible.

“Asking the delivery driver to place your package under a flowerpot or behind your wheelie bin when you’re out should no longer be an option. Instead, it’s vital that all online shoppers ensure they have a secure, easy to use, delivery box in place to receive their parcels.”