The most reliable way to prevent package theft is to avoid an unattended delivery. For a valuable order, choose a locker or staffed pickup point, request a signature, or send it to a workplace or trusted person. At home, an anchored package box, delivery alerts, good lighting, and a camera aimed at the drop-off area can reduce the opportunity for removal.

This advice is for U.S. consumers. A locker or camera can lower risk, but neither guarantees delivery or creates an automatic right to a refund. When a package disappears, the retailer's policy, seller terms, carrier records, and insurance policy usually determine what happens.

Pick the delivery method before checkout

Use two layers for a high-value order. Sending it to a pickup point and turning on carrier notifications is stronger than relying on either measure alone. For routine deliveries, an anchored box and a backup neighbor may be enough.

Move the parcel away from the open porch

Choose the safest available destination while placing the order:

• Use a package locker or carrier pickup point. Amazon Hub locations, carrier access points, retail holds, and staffed mail centers can keep a parcel out of sight. Check hours, package-size rules, the hold period, and any fee before selecting one.
• Deliver to a workplace or trusted person. Ask permission first. The recipient needs a plan to accept the package rather than leaving it in a lobby, outside an office, or beside a vehicle.
• Request a signature when available. This can help with expensive or difficult-to-replace items. It may not be offered for every shipment, and an unsuccessful delivery can delay receipt.
• Choose a delivery day you can monitor. Retailer and carrier alerts can narrow the time you need to be available, but a delivery window can change. Keep a backup handoff in mind.
• Use delivery instructions carefully. A side entrance or rear porch may be less visible than the front step, but carriers may not be able to follow instructions because of gates, safety rules, weather, or access problems. Don't write a note that advertises an empty home.

A delivery note isn't a security device. If the location is visible from the street or accessible through an open gate, pickup or an attended handoff is the safer choice.

If the package must come to your home

A package box helps most when it can't simply be lifted and carried away. Choose a model that can be anchored to a suitable surface, then follow the manufacturer's installation instructions. Before buying, check whether it:

• fits the largest packages you usually receive;
• keeps parcels dry and out of direct view;
• allows the carrier to place the parcel inside without exposing its contents;
• leaves walkways, doors, stairs, and emergency exits clear; and
• works with the delivery instructions used by your carriers.

A hidden parcel is still vulnerable if a thief knows where to look. Motion-activated lighting, a view of the entrance from an occupied room, and a locked gate can add friction. The gate and box must still be accessible to the carrier. Don't put a parcel behind a vehicle or somewhere it could be damaged by weather, lawn equipment, or animals.

In an apartment or other managed building, ask whether deliveries can go to a locked room, concierge desk, or secured vestibule. A package room is useful only when access is controlled and parcels aren't left in an open pile.

Use cameras and alerts to shorten the gap

A doorbell or security camera is most useful when someone is ready to retrieve the delivery. Look for a view of the actual delivery surface, useful low-light performance, motion or package detection, and storage that keeps clips available long enough to review them. Two-way audio may let you tell a driver where to place a parcel, but it isn't a physical deterrent.

Set the system to alert you about activity in the delivery area, record the date and time accurately, and save clips automatically or make them easy to download. Where possible, adjust detection so passing cars don't trigger the same alerts as movement near the package zone.

A camera's advertised resolution or detection feature doesn't show how often it prevents theft. Wi-Fi outages, poor lighting, blocked views, full cloud storage, and subscription limits can all affect the result. Test the view from the street and from the expected delivery position before relying on it.

Aim cameras at your own entrance and package area rather than directly into a neighbor's home. Renters should check lease, building, and installation rules before mounting a device in a common area.

Turn on retailer and carrier notifications too. An alert matters only if somebody is assigned to check the door. When several household members receive notifications, agree on who will retrieve the parcel so the alerts don't become background noise.

Apartment and renter options

Renters may not be able to install permanent hardware, but they can still move a delivery away from an unsecured doorway:

1. Ask management about lockers, a staffed desk, controlled-access package rooms, and delivery logs.
2. Use a carrier pickup point for valuable orders.
3. Request delivery to your unit only when the building can restrict access to the floor or hallway.
4. Use a battery-powered camera only where the lease and building rules allow it.
5. Arrange a neighbor handoff without sharing building entry codes.
6. Keep order confirmations, tracking details, and receipts in case you need to report a loss.

When packages repeatedly disappear from a mailroom or package room, record the dates, tracking numbers, and locations. Send the pattern to property management in writing and ask what access controls or camera footage are available. A partial video isn't enough to accuse a particular neighbor.

Rural delivery security

Long driveways, limited lighting, and fewer nearby pickup locations can make rural deliveries harder to monitor. A practical setup might include a weatherproof, anchored box near a place the carrier can reach safely, a delivery window that fits your schedule, and a nearby person who can collect parcels. Expensive orders may be better sent to a staffed pickup location.

A camera or cellular alert system can help when home internet doesn't reach the delivery area. Give carriers clear directions to the box, but don't place it where a driver must cross an unsafe surface or leave the vehicle without a clear route. For a hard-to-find address, confirm the unit, building, gate, and access details before ordering.

Trackers and decoys don't prevent theft

A GPS or cellular tracker may help locate some high-value items after removal, but it won't stop a thief. Battery life, indoor conditions, cellular coverage, and the tracker's size all matter. It may show only a general location, not the identity of the person who took the package.

If you use a tracker:

• tell the recipient when appropriate and respect privacy;
• secure it inside the package so it doesn't fall out;
• test the battery and connectivity before shipping;
• don't assume it will work inside a building or vehicle; and
• give location information to the carrier or police instead of confronting anyone.

Don't put a tracker in a package if it could affect the product, create a safety issue, or violate the retailer's shipping terms.

Never use a booby trap, irritant, fireworks, weapon, or device designed to injure someone or damage property. A delivery worker, child, neighbor, or person who takes the parcel by mistake could be harmed.

A harmless decoy with a tracker isn't a reliable prevention method and doesn't prove who took a package. It can also create an unsafe confrontation. Lighting, a physical box, pickup services, and prompt reporting are safer choices.

What to do when a package is missing

A "delivered" scan doesn't always mean the parcel was stolen. It may have gone to a nearby unit, been placed somewhere unexpected, or been scanned before it arrived.

First, rule out a delivery mix-up

Confirm the address, unit number, delivery date, and carrier in the order record. Check doors, garages, side entrances, parcel rooms, mail areas, and other places allowed by your delivery instructions. Ask household members and nearby neighbors whether they accepted it.

Amazon's published help guidance says a package can sometimes be scanned as delivered up to 48 hours before it arrives. Its instructions also recommend checking around the delivery location, asking household members and neighbors, and reviewing the carrier record. That's Amazon guidance, not a universal waiting rule for every carrier. Check the instructions attached to your U.S. order because the process can vary by seller, fulfillment method, and account.

If a camera captured a delivery, save the original clip before changing settings or allowing storage to overwrite it. Keep the delivery photo and tracking history too.

Contact the retailer or seller promptly

Tell the retailer that the package is missing. Provide the order number, tracking number, delivery date, delivery photo, and any information showing that the address may have been wrong. Ask whether it will open an investigation, replace the item, or issue a refund under its policy.

For a marketplace order fulfilled by a third-party seller, contact that seller and use the marketplace's support process as well. If a private carrier handled the shipment, contact the carrier. Some carrier claims must be started by the sender, so ask who is eligible to file and what evidence is required.

Save screenshots, emails, chat transcripts, and the name or case number for each conversation. Don't describe a wrong-address delivery as a confirmed porch theft; that distinction can affect the investigation.

Report suspected mail theft through the appropriate channel

For suspected theft involving USPS mail, use USAGov's USPS complaint guidance, which directs consumers to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for mail-theft reports.

The USPS Office of Inspector General contact page describes its hotline for mail theft, destruction of mail, fraud, or misconduct involving a postal employee or contractor. That route is different from a normal retailer refund request or a private-carrier delivery dispute.

For a private-carrier theft or repeated theft in your area, contact local law enforcement through its non-emergency channel. Provide the tracking record, delivery photo, video, approximate time, and serial number or other identifying details when available. Don't confront the suspected thief.

Check insurance before filing a claim

Homeowners or renters insurance may cover a stolen package in some situations, but the policy controls. Ask the insurer:

• whether a package stolen after delivery is covered;
• whether a deductible applies;
• whether payment would be based on replacement cost or depreciated value;
• whether electronics, jewelry, medication, or other items have special limits;
• what proof of purchase and delivery documents are required; and
• whether a police report is needed.

Start with the retailer or seller before using insurance. If the loss is below the deductible, a claim may not pay anything. Ask how a claim could affect your policy before filing a small loss, and don't assume an optional shipping-protection fee covers porch theft unless its written terms say so.

What controls a refund?

There isn't one U.S. refund rule that guarantees payment for every package taken from a home. The facts and the applicable policy matter:

• The parcel was never delivered or went to the wrong address: Ask the retailer, seller, and carrier to review the delivery record.
• The tracking page says delivered, but the parcel is missing: The retailer's customer-service policy, seller terms, carrier investigation, and available evidence may determine the outcome.
• A third-party marketplace handled the sale: The seller's terms and any marketplace guarantee may apply separately.
• USPS mail was involved: USPIS or local police can receive a report, but a report alone doesn't guarantee a refund.
• You file an insurance claim: Coverage, exclusions, limits, and the deductible control whether the insurer pays.

A delivery photo can support a claim, but it doesn't by itself establish who removed the parcel or whether it was left at the correct address. If a retailer or carrier denies the request, ask for the reason in writing and use its stated escalation or marketplace-review process.

Package theft checklist

Before ordering

• Choose a locker, staffed pickup point, workplace, trusted recipient, or signature delivery when appropriate.
• Confirm the full address, unit number, access instructions, and delivery window.
• Check size limits, pickup hours, hold periods, and extra charges.
• Turn on retailer and carrier notifications.
• Read shipping-protection terms for theft exclusions and claim deadlines.
• Keep receipts, serial numbers, and replacement values for expensive items.

On delivery day

• Watch for the delivery alert and retrieve the parcel promptly.
• Confirm that it was left at the correct location.
• Save the delivery photo or tracking record for a valuable order.
• Check that the camera is recording and has enough storage.
• Ask a trusted person to collect the parcel if your schedule changes.

If it goes missing

• Check the address, delivery photo, nearby locations, household members, neighbors, and mailroom.
• Allow for an early scan when the carrier or retailer says that can happen; don't treat 48 hours as a universal rule.
• Contact the retailer, seller, and relevant carrier.
• Preserve tracking records, receipts, footage, and case numbers.
• Report suspected USPS mail theft through the appropriate official channel.
• Consider police and insurance reports based on the value, evidence, and policy terms.
• Don't confront a suspected thief or deploy a harmful trap.

For the next expensive order, decide the destination before checkout. Choose an attended or staffed option, turn on alerts, and make sure someone is responsible for retrieving the parcel.