NYC unveils secure sidewalk locker program to prevent package theft
Image courtesy of Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office on Flickr
New York City is installing secure package lockers across the five boroughs to prevent theft and reduce delivery truck traffic. Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday announced “LockerNYC,” a pilot program to install seven package lockers with 25 safe compartments and security cameras to combat theft. The lockers will be installed on sidewalks at select locations and available for free through a variety of delivery carriers. New Yorkers can sign up and manage orders here.
Around 80 percent of NYC households receive at least one delivery per week, with about 20 percent getting four or more.
According to the city, 90,000 packages are reported stolen or lost in transit across the five boroughs daily. The lockers are designed to give delivery workers a safe storage method and prevent “porch pirates” from stealing packages.
The lockers can currently be found at the following locations:
- Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn: 830 Lafayette Avenue, outside Ideal Food Basket grocery
- Canarsie, Brooklyn: 1380 Rockaway Parkway
- East Flatbush, Brooklyn: 1086 Brooklyn Avenue, outside Ideal Food Basket grocery
- Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn: 2036 Bedford Avenue, outside Ideal Food Basket grocery
- Sunnyside, Queens: 47-01 49th Street, outside the Cosmopolitan Houses apartments
More lockers will soon be located at these spots:
- Bushwick, Brooklyn: 72-80 Wyckoff Avenue, outside Key Food
- Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan: 778 9th Avenue at West 52nd Street
The locations were selected based on several factors, including land use, the concentration of buildings lacking secure package rooms, and NYPD package theft data.
The city also looked at placing the lockers in areas with enough circulation space, ensuring the smooth flow of pedestrians. The lockers will not block windows, fire escapes, or public art.
Each locker location has two security cameras, LED lighting, and anti-theft features in each locker compartment. The lockers will be operated by GoLocker, the vendor selected by the city for the pilot program.
In addition to preventing theft, the program aims to reduce delivery truck traffic by pushing deliveries to central areas, reducing the time trucks spend sitting at the curb, and ultimately lowering carbon emissions.
“We are taking on porch pirates and cutting down on emissions by unwrapping LockerNYC, our pilot program that will combat package theft and reduce delivery truck traffic in our city,” Adams said. “Reducing crime, fighting climate change, and providing a convenience to New Yorkers all at the same time is a package deal that New Yorkers can be proud of.”
LockerNYC will run for a year and may be extended depending on the program’s effectiveness. Throughout the program, the city’s Department of Transportation will collect anonymous data about locker usage to inform future designs and best practices for safety.
Shared package lockers have successfully combated package theft and lowered carbon emissions in other cities. In Seattle, a delivery locker pilot program found that lockers can cut down the time delivery trucks sit at the curb by as much as 33 percent and reduce delivery times by 78 percent.
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