Follow these steps to protect your deliveries from thieves
By Daniel Wroclawski
You know the holiday season has arrived when delivery trucks from Amazon, FedEx, and UPS flood the streets, leaving packages of all shapes and sizes on driveways, doorsteps, and in apartment hallways. But this signature sign of the holiday shopping season also means that package thieves will be on the prowl, snatching up those packages faster than the Grinch on Christmas Eve.
In fact, according to a nationally representative survey conducted by Consumer Reports in September 2021 of 2,341 adults, 11% of Americans had at least one package stolen from their home in the past year. Within that group, 64% had a package stolen at least twice in the past year.
Several factors influence the likelihood of having a package stolen. Package theft was more common in multifamily homes than in single homes. It also occurred more frequently in urban areas (16%) than in suburbs (9%) and rural areas (8%). Additionally, the robberies disproportionately affected younger people and lower-income households: 21% of Americans who were affected had incomes less than $30,000 a year and were in the 18-29 age group. (Only 8% of those affected earned more than $30,000 a year, and 9% were 30 years old or older.)
In this article
Prevent your packages from being stolen • Find out if a package has been stolen • What to do if a package is stolen
But there are many things you can do to reduce the risks. The practical steps we mention below can help you keep thieves away from your packages. And if a package is stolen, we explain what to do to get a replacement or a refund.
Prevent your packages from being stolen
Here are six ways to make it harder for package thieves to take your purchases.
1. If you order from Amazon or Walmart, consider giving them access to the inside of your property
Amazon Prime members in select areas can sign up for Amazon Key, a service that authorizes your Amazon delivery driver to enter your garage and safely leave your orders inside. Walmart offers its own version of this service, called Walmart+ InHome, with the added option of having its delivery drivers come into your home to put some of the grocery items you bought in your refrigerator.
For Amazon Key, you need the Chamberlain MyQ smart garage control for $30, or an Aladdin Connect WiFi RetroFit Genie Kit for $65. For Walmart+ InHome, the Chamberlain model is your only option. We tested both as part of our smart garage door opener reviews and found the Chamberlain model to be much easier to set up and use. If you already have a Chamberlain, LiftMaster, Craftsman (or Genie or Overhead Door, for Amazon Key) system that connects to WiFi, you won’t need these additional devices.
Set up one of these Internet-enabled devices with your garage door opener to allow your Amazon or Walmart delivery driver to open and close your garage door (via a smartphone). Amazon Key also lets you connect a Ring video doorbell, which costs between $65 to $350; a Ring security camera, $60 to $250; or a MyQ security camera, for $150, to record video of the delivery.
Amazon Key requires an Amazon Prime membership. Amazon Key deliveries used to be free with membership. However, they now cost $2 per delivery unless you set your Amazon day with Amazon Key’s preferred delivery day. This bundles your Amazon Key orders into a weekly delivery, possibly helping Amazon reduce their delivery costs.
Walmart+ InHome represents a higher tier within the Walmart+ subscription. It costs about $20 a month or $138 a year. Existing Walmart+ members can upgrade their membership to include this InHome service for an additional $7 per month or $40 per year. There are no shipping charges as long as your order total is $35 or more.
We tested the Amazon Key In-Garage Delivery service and found that it works without a problem. You can read our full review. We haven’t put Walmart+ InHome delivery to the test yet, but it’s worth mentioning that the service doesn’t support security cameras like Amazon Key does. To check if any of these services are available in your area, visit the Amazon Key and Walmart+ InHome websites.
Buy the Chamberlain MyQ smart garage control: Amazon, Best Buy, Chamberlain MyQ, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart
Buy the Genie Aladdin Connect Wi-Fi RetroFit Kit: Amazon, Home Depot, Overhead Door Parts Online, Walmart
2. Monitor your entrance with a security camera or doorbell camera
With a camera watching, you can monitor your property from anywhere and record any activity that is recorded. In our survey, 21% of Americans who had a package stolen last year installed a doorbell camera following the theft. Some cameras, like the Logitech Circle View Doorbell and the Arlo Essential security camera, can even detect if there are packages at your door. (Please note that this feature may require a monthly fee, depending on the make and model.)
If the cameras are visible, that alone could keep potential thieves away from your property. Consumer Reports has tested more than 140 security cameras and doorbells with wireless video cameras. Below you will find two of our best recommendations. For more options, check out our full home security camera ratings and our list of reviews of the best floodlight security cameras.
Wyze Cam v3 Pro WYZEC3P
Ring Gen 2 2020
3. Provide special instructions to the delivery service
Some services allow you to indicate where they can leave your package in case you are not at home. With services like UPS My Choice, FedEx Delivery Manager, and USPS Informed Delivery, you can tell people who will deliver your package to leave it at a specific location, like at a back door or with the building superintendent.
FedEx and UPS also allow you to update your delivery address to a different one (like a neighbor’s house), stop delivery for a certain time if you’re on vacation, or change the delivery date to a different day. Both companies also have local businesses as partners, such as stores, pharmacies and supermarkets, who have agreed to receive package deliveries for customers.
Another option is to send the items to one of the retailer’s physical stores for you to pick up yourself, this can help you save on shipping costs.
Many, but not all, of these services are free. For example, UPS and FedEx charge fees for online requests to change deliveries to a different day or location. With UPS in particular, you can choose between paying a fee per individual delivery or paying an annual subscription.
4. Use a package drop box or Amazon delivery location
Instead of having your packages left unprotected at your front door, you can tell them to leave your packages inside the delivery box on your property. In 2022, I evaluated three delivery boxes made by Danby, Keter, and Yale and found them to be an acceptable solution, as long as you can get your delivery drivers to use them (which can be a challenge). Ranging in price from $200 to $400, some have smart features like notifications to your cell phone when you receive a delivery, the ability to open and close them from your smartphone, and built-in security cameras.
Another alternative: purchases made on Amazon can be delivered to an Amazon locker or to a physical delivery location (Amazon counter). They are available in hundreds of cities and municipalities, including many Whole Foods Market supermarkets. Amazon Lockers are self-service lockers where you can pick up your orders, while Amazon Counters are drop-off points or locations where you can pick up your orders and are staffed by staff at retail stores and small businesses that have partnered with Amazon. Some participating Amazon Lockers and Counters may also accept returns.
When making your purchase on Amazon, select the location of a locker or an Amazon counter at the delivery address. Once your package is delivered, you will have a set number of days to pick it up. The deadline to collect it will be indicated in your confirmation email. There is no charge for this service.
5. Keep track of your packages by signing up for alerts
FedEx Delivery Manager, UPS My Choice, and USPS Informed Delivery offer alerts via text messages, emails, and/or mobile apps so you know when delivery is coming and can adjust your schedule accordingly.
USPS Informed Delivery takes these alerts to the next level by allowing you to view digital images of your deliveries and their location without having to enter tracking numbers. This way, you can make sure you’re home if you’re expecting something important to arrive.
6. Require a receipt signature
This way, packages are not simply left outside your house. However, you have to be home available to receive the package.
Find out if a package was stolen
FedEx, UPS and the United States Postal Service indicate that they do not cover theft of packages that have been delivered.
If your package disappears, follow these steps.
Check if the package was delivered
Call the shipping company to confirm that the item was left at your home and that no one, such as a well-meaning neighbor or building superintendent, took it for you. If the package or its contents were stolen or lost while in the possession of the shipping company, you may be entitled to compensation. Most packages shipped by UPS, for example, have automatic coverage of up to $100 in case of loss or damage.
Check your home security cameras
If you have a security camera or video doorbell, check the footage to see if your package was delivered or if someone stole it.
What to do if your package is stolen
Contact the retailer
Retailers have different policies on how to handle package theft. Some, like Target, have fine print clauses stating that the risk of loss passes to the buyer when the purchase is handed over to the shipping company. Still, it doesn’t hurt to ask. According to our survey, this is one of the most common actions affected people take, 58% of Americans who had a package stolen did this.
Contact the shipping company
Shipping companies often require the shipper, not the recipient, to initiate a claim. If the retailer is uncooperative, contact the shipping company as soon as possible. You have a limited number of days to file a claim. According to our survey, 40% of Americans who had a package stolen notified the shipping company; 25% requested a full refund.
Check your credit card benefits
Many credit cards offer purchase protection that covers lost or stolen items. If you made the purchase with your credit card, you can file a claim with the entity that issued your card, says Daniel Blinn, managing attorney at Consumer Law Group in Rocky Hill, Connecticut. If that doesn’t work, Blinn recommends requesting a refund of your charge from your credit card company. According to our survey, 12% of people who experienced package theft did that.
Check your insurance
As a last resort, you may be able to obtain compensation through your homeowners or renters insurance. However, those policies typically have deductibles of $500 to $1,000 or more, so depending on the value of the contents, your insurance may not be useful.
Consider involving the police
For a small purchase, you may not want to take this step, but you may need a police report if you file a claim with a retailer, shipping company, credit card company, or insurance company. Our survey indicated that 9% of Americans who had a package stolen filed a police report to recover the value of the item.
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