Do you know what frightens me? The fact that an estimated 23 million Americans have had at least one package stolen from their front porches or mailboxes. So, how to prevent package theft?

You need to send packages to a secure location, provide delivery instructions, schedule packages to arrive when you’re home, then track their progress.

Keep reading.

How to Prevent Package Theft?

Here are the details:

Send Packages to a Secure Location

Major retailers offer secure delivery options. Amazon, for example, has Amazon Lockers where you can send all Amazon orders to. Here is a tool to help you locate Amazon pickup locations nearby. It’s easy to use, and if you are okay with taking the extra step of picking your packages up away from home, this is an excellent way to avoid package theft.

As an alternative, you can have packages delivered to your place of employment. However, before adding your workplace address to any online orders, we advise you to check your employer’s policies to make sure you are adhering to them.

Provide Delivery Instructions

Giving delivery instructions is one cost-free way to stop package theft for people who choose to have packages shipped to their homes. You can add detailed delivery instructions for delivery personnel to follow during the checkout process for online orders. You can increase the likelihood that no one will be persuaded to steal your package by having a large object that can be delivered behind, out of the way of porch pirates, such as a column or bench.

Schedule Packages to Arrive When You’re Home, Then Track Their Progress.

You can try to place your orders on days when you are at home so you can easily receive the packages if there are days when you can. You can also delay or re-route packages from the following carriers using the following apps:

• FedEx Delivery Manager® | $5 to download
• UPS My Choice® | $40 per year for unlimited use
• USPS Hold Mail | Free service

Ask for the tracking number if you’re expecting a package from a relative or friend so you can keep track of when it will arrive.

Your packages can now be tracked in real time by Amazon, allowing you to know exactly when the delivery truck parked in your garage and when the package is expected to arrive at your door. You can track your packages by downloading the Amazon app, then tapping “Your Orders” and locating your expected delivery.

Require a Signature

As part of the online checkout process, you may have the option to require that the package can only be delivered with a signature. This requirement adds an extra layer of security if you can be home for the delivery because it stops your package from being left unattended on your doorstep for very long.

Tips for Preventing Package Theft

• Think carefully about where you want the packages delivered.
• After placing an order, keep track of the packages to find out when they’ll arrive.
• Band together with your neighbors—ask if they will bring in packages when you’re not home, and offer to do the same. In order for them to be on the lookout, you should also inform your neighbors if a package has been stolen.
• Keep the delivery area visible and make some of your home security measures clear.
• Get a parcel locker.
• Deliver packages to a PO Box or the office. box.
• Opt to have the deliverer obtain a signature upon delivery.
• Instead of leaving the package on the front porch, instruct the delivery person to leave it at the back door.

Safety Considerations

• If you see a thief stealing a package, it is acceptable to shout, take a picture, and gather as much information as you can about the thief and their vehicle, but you should not pursue or confront the thief. “I wouldn’t recommend getting involved physically,” says Stickle. Unpredictable behavior is a hallmark of people who have been caught, so your safety comes first.
• Use caution when installing home security devices, especially when climbing a ladder for added height. If the equipment needs to be mounted on a second story or you’re unsure of where to place security cameras,consider hiring a professional to install the security system.

Package Theft Statistics

Here are the top five scary facts about package mail theft and how to prevent it:

1. You probably don’t see it that often.In the period from March to July 2020, 1 in 5 Americans reported a package being stolen, demonstrating the serious problem of porch pirating across the country. Additionally, 40% of package theft takes place in apartment complexes or communities. 30% of porch pirate victims say they did not receive any financial compensation for their loss, and a package theft victim loses, on average, $106 as a result of the crime. And unfortunately, less than half of Americans report that their thief was caught by the police⁴.
2. Customers will go to great lengths to guarantee the secure delivery of their packages.a Shorr Packaging Corp. report from 2017 survey, 53% of respondents said they changed their plans so they could be home to receive a package from a delivery person even though the delivery instructions didn’t require a signature delivery. The survey also revealed that 20% of people will leave work early if they are expecting a delivery⁵. In some circumstances, enlisting a dependable neighbor who can keep an eye out for deliveries and accept them on your behalf can be helpful. But not every community or customer can use this delivery method.
3. Some people avoid online shopping entirely out of fear of package theft.According to a survey by Shorr Packaging, 41% of respondents say they have avoided making some purchases from online merchants because they were concerned about porch piracy or package theft. Buy Online, Pickup in Store (BOPIS) is a growing way to avoid the threat of porch pirates altogether. With BOPIS, customers can enjoy the convenience of online shopping and the freedom to pick up their packages whenever it is convenient for them, frequently from an in-store locker, such as an Amazon locker for an Amazon package.
4. The holiday season is when package theft is most common.There is no denying that the holiday season brings a tremendous influx of deliveries and a corresponding rise in package theft. In fact, apartment communities could see as many as 486 package deliveries per week during the holiday season⁶. This is important for property managers to be aware of as the number of packages they receive typically increases from an average of 150 packages per week to 270 packages per week during the holidays – an 81% increase even during “normal” times⁷. Furthermore, more package deliveries usually result in more package theft.
5. Home security cameras and neighborhood watch programs are ineffective.While it would be nice to think that having a neighborhood watch, a home security camera on your front porch, or a home security system would deter suspicious activity and holiday package theft, the sad truth is that this simply isn’t the case. Although a video doorbell camera, home security camera, or home security system can partially deter porch pirates, they rarely give police leads about the porch piracy when footage of suspicious activity is turned over to law enforcement. In addition, a lock box on your porch may be expensive, challenging to install, take up valuable space, and even block your door.

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What to Do If You Suspect Your Package Was Stolen

If you suspect a package thief of pilfering your package you should:

• Look around your house to see if the delivery person hid your package somewhere, like by the garage, on the back porch, or at the back door.
• Find out from your neighbors whether they witnessed the delivery person leaving your package or whether they received it by accident.
• Contact the shipping company to determine that the package was sent properly. You can complain to the delivery service if it was.
• Report a crime to the police in your area.

Summary: How to Prevent Package Theft?

You need to send packages to a secure location, provide delivery instructions, schedule packages to arrive when you’re home, then track their progress.

Please post a question in the comments if you have any.

I’m grateful you read it.