Key Takeaways

• Package theft is common—and it’s not your fault.

• Acting quickly increases your chances of getting a refund or replacement.
  

• Reporting theft helps retailers and communities track patterns.
  

• Preventing future theft starts with secure, purpose-built delivery solutions like Lockerly.
  

First—You’re Not Alone

Porch piracy remains one of the most pervasive property crimes in the U.S. According to SafeWise’s 8th Annual Package Theft Report, more than 104 million packages were stolen from American homes in 2025 (Clarion Ledger, 2026). So if you recently had a package stolen from your front door, you were part of the 31% of Americans who were hit in the past 12 months. 

Concerns about porch piracy have caused a shift in shopping habits. Nearly 44% of victims report ordering online less often, while 27% have shifted deliveries to secure lockers or in-store pickup. Meanwhile, more than half of U.S. households now use at least one security device, such as a video doorbell, to monitor their deliveries (Yahoo! Finance, 2025).

Step-by-Step: What To Do After a Package Is Stolen

Confirm the Delivery

Start by double-checking your tracking information to ensure the package was marked as delivered. Many carriers now provide photo confirmation showing where the parcel was left. If this isn’t available, look around. Drivers sometimes leave packages in unusual spots (like a side door or behind a planter) to hide them from plain view. It’s also worth asking neighbors in case the package was misdelivered or picked up for safekeeping.

Contact the Retailer or Carrier

If the package is truly missing, reach out to the retailer first. Major retailers like Amazon often have generous replacement policies (Amazon, n.d.). If the retailer cannot help, file a claim directly with the shipping carrier (USPS, FedEx, UPS). Be prepared to provide tracking numbers, proof of value, and details about the package.

Remember, time is of the essence. Acting promptly increases your chances of reimbursement.

File a Police Report (When Appropriate)

While not every theft requires police involvement, filing a report can strengthen your claim with retailers, carriers, credit card companies, or insurance providers. It also contributes to community data, helping law enforcement track theft patterns and organized operations in your area.

Notify Your Credit Card Company

If the retailer and carrier are unable to issue a refund, your credit card issuer may be your safety net. Many premium cards offer "Purchase Protection" or insurance against theft for items bought within a recent window (often 90 to 120 days). Check your benefits guide to see if you can recover the cost of the stolen item.

Why Packages Get Stolen in the First Place

While more organized operations are on the rise, porch piracy remains largely a crime of opportunity. Most package thieves scan neighborhoods, looking for easy targets. In a study of 67 videos of porch pirates in action, 93% of stolen packages were visible from the street (Stickle, 2020). Overall, packages closest to the road, visible from the street, with branding and larger in size, were stolen more frequently.    

Ultimately, the issue is about a lack of a secure home delivery box. Most homes have mailboxes for letters, but nothing for parcels. When a delivery driver leaves a package on a doormat, they are essentially forced to leave valuable goods unprotected. Even lockboxes or plastic package bins can be pried open or carried away. When packages are visible, accessible, and unprotected, they become irresistible targets for both casual pirates and organized rings.  

How to Prevent Package Theft Next Time

Today’s homeowners have more options than ever to protect their deliveries, ranging from security cameras and motion detectors to off-site pickup points and dedicated parcel storage solutions. 

Short-Term Fixes

Many carriers allow you to choose delivery windows when you’re most likely to be home. While this reduces the time packages sit unattended on your porch, this option also requires you to plan your day around the truck’s schedule. 

Alternatively, you can have packages diverted to local pickup points, such as post offices, lockers, or retail stores. While secure, this counteracts the convenience of shopping online. 

Long-Term Solutions

Residential package boxes have become popular in recent years. These range from basic lockable bins to electronic smart lockers that use keypads or barcode scanners for access. While these devices keep packages out of sight, freestanding units can still attract attention, signaling to savvy thieves that valuable goods are likely stored inside.

At Lockerly, we believe porch piracy requires a permanent solution. To achieve this, we designed a wall-integrated secure package drop box that deposits deliveries directly into the home. This provides homeowners with the infrastructure to permanently eradicate the anxiety of porch piracy. 

Why Lockerly Is a Smarter Prevention Strategy

When we looked at the market, we noticed a glaring gap in available parcel security solutions. Packages stored in plastic containers and bolt-on boxes could still be stolen, while electronic smart boxes can be too complicated for some homeowners. We realized that true delivery security had to be part of your home.

Lockerly is flush-mounted into a home’s exterior wall. When a delivery driver opens the unit, a solid steel security baffle automatically rotates into place, creating a hopper for the package while simultaneously blocking visual and physical access to your home. As the panel closes, the parcel drops safely into your home. This smart, tamper-resistant design ensures that once a package is deposited, it cannot be retrieved from the outside.

We didn’t want to give homeowners a temporary fix or another gadget to manage; we wanted to give them an anti-theft delivery box that works every time, in every weather condition, forever. 

Contact us today to upgrade to the best residential package locker solution. Because the only truly secure place for a package is inside your home.

FAQs

• Should I file a police report for package theft?
  

Yes. Filing a report creates an official record that is often required by credit card companies or insurance providers to process claims. Additionally, these reports help law enforcement track theft patterns in your neighborhood, which can lead to increased patrols or the identification of organized theft rings.

• What’s the best way to stop porch pirates permanently?

The only way to truly stop porch piracy is to remove visibility and access altogether. Cameras, lights, and lockboxes can deter casual thieves, but determined pirates adapt quickly. A built‑in, hidden delivery solution like Lockerly prevents theft at the source by keeping packages out of sight and irretrievable from the outside.

• Are package lockers worth it for homeowners?
  

Yes, especially when you consider the long-term cost of stolen goods and the time spent chasing refunds. Unlike temporary fixes or subscription services, a permanent steel locker is a one-time infrastructure investment that adds value to your home and provides peace of mind for every future delivery.

References:

Clarion Ledger (January 7, 2026). After 104 Million Packages Were Stolen This Year, SafeWise Addresses Package Theft Trends
Yahoo Finance (October 9, 2025). Americans Lost $15.7 Billion to Porch Pirates Last Year; Totaling 241 Million Vanished Packages
Amazon (n.d.). A-to-z Guarantee