yes, it is common to have items taken from your front porch around here. and no, i would not risk having items delivered and left on the porch. this is why i opened a P.O. Box and instructed my mail person to ring the doorbell and actually wait to see if i answer., instead of ringing and then dumping the item and continuing on his route as fast as he can.

oftentimes a mail person will assume a neighbor will take in your package for you (for example a person on another floor in a triple decker building)

there was a small ring of criminals around here a few years ago that were grabbing christmas packages of folks' front steps in somerville and cambridge. the story made national news including the drudgereport etc.