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Tracking says delivered. The porch is empty. Before you treat that as theft, check whether the scan was early, the driver left the box somewhere else on the property, or someone in the house already brought it in. Look at the delivery photo and any driver notes, then ask household members and a neighbor you trust.

If a camera or the photo shows the parcel being taken, or left at the wrong address, contact the seller and the carrier right away. Save what you have. If the facts point to theft, file a local police report as well.

That report documents suspected theft. It does not, by itself, create a refund. Reimbursement still depends on the seller's policy, who bought the shipping, the carrier's claim rules, insurance coverage, or your payment method. The steps below are for consumers in the United States.

Who actually handles a stolen-package complaint?

There is no single national form. The right channel depends on who moved the parcel and what you can prove:

A delivery scan shows a carrier event. It is not proof you personally received the box. A police report is not proof that a seller or carrier has to pay.

What to do first

Confirm the delivery details

Check the tracking number, delivery time, address, and any delivery instructions. If there is a photo, look at it closely. Walk the porch, side door, garage, gate, parcel locker, mailroom, and other sheltered spots. Ask household members, building staff, and trusted neighbors. See whether the order split into more than one shipment.

Amazon's published help guidance says a package can be scanned as delivered up to 48 hours before it arrives. If nothing suggests theft, give that delay a chance and follow the instructions under Your Orders in your U.S. account. Marketplace help pages are not always the same, so the text on that order should control.

Preserve evidence

Save records before a camera overwrites them or a tracking page changes:

Keep the original video file unedited. Make a separate copy if you need to blur a private detail before sharing. Don't post a neighbor's face, a full tracking label, or an accusation naming a suspected thief. Give that information to police or to the company investigating the delivery.

Notify the seller and carrier

For an online purchase, start on the order page. Say the package was marked delivered but you did not receive it, describe what you already checked, and ask whether the seller or the shipping carrier has to open the investigation.

If tracking names USPS, UPS, FedEx, or another carrier, notify that carrier too. Some shipping setups require the sender to file, especially when the seller bought the postage or insurance. Ask the seller who is responsible rather than opening two claims with conflicting stories.

A message like this is enough:

Order [number] for [item] was marked delivered at [date and time] to [address], but I did not receive it. I checked [locations] and asked [household members or neighbors]. I have attached the tracking record, delivery photo, proof of value, and [police report number or video]. Please open a delivery investigation and confirm the next step and case number.

Report it promptly. Police, sellers, and carriers do not all use the same deadline, and a generic cutoff you find online may not apply to your service or order.

How to file a package-theft police report

Use the local department's non-emergency number, online portal, or station. Call 911 only for an immediate threat, an active crime, or another emergency.

Stick to facts:

  1. Your name and contact information
  2. The delivery address
  3. The date and approximate time on the delivery record
  4. The carrier, tracking number, and drop-off location
  5. A description of the package and contents
  6. The purchase price or estimated value, with a receipt
  7. How and when you discovered it was missing
  8. Witness names, if any
  9. A suspect or vehicle description only if you actually saw one
  10. The names of photo or video files and how you can provide them

Ask for the incident, case, or report number. Many departments will take the report without sending an officer when there is no immediate danger. That number can help a seller, carrier, or insurer find the file. Whether police investigate is a separate question from whether anyone reimburses you.

You can use a short statement:

On [date], a package addressed to [address] was marked delivered by [carrier] under tracking number [number] at approximately [time]. I checked the delivery area and confirmed with [household members, neighbors, or building staff] that no one received it. The package contained [items] with a purchase value of approximately [$ amount]. I have the tracking record, delivery photo, receipt, and [camera footage or witness information].

Report only what you know. Don't guess at a suspect's identity or inflate the value of the contents.

USPS: the theft report is not the claim

A USPS insurance claim and a mail-theft complaint are different processes.

If you believe the item was stolen from the mail stream, a mailbox, or a postal delivery location, report it to local police and to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service's mail-theft reporting channel. The Postal Inspection Service is the federal law-enforcement agency that protects the mail system.

If the parcel was eligible for USPS coverage, read the USPS domestic claims page. USPS says you may file immediately when an item arrives damaged or with missing contents, but the claim must be filed no later than 60 days after the mailing date. Filing periods and eligibility change with the service, the insurance, and the type of loss, so check the receipt and the current USPS instructions. Those web pages do not list every exception in the Domestic Mail Manual.

Have the tracking or label number, proof of value, mailing information, and supporting photos ready. A police or Postal Inspection Service report can support the file. It does not replace the USPS claim form. USPS says claim decisions usually arrive within five to 10 days.

If USPS pays only part of a claim or denies it, the domestic claims guidance says you can appeal within 30 days of the decision. If that appeal is denied, a second appeal can be filed within 30 days of the appeal denial. Follow the instructions in the decision notice.

A parcel stolen after a confirmed delivery is not always treated like an item lost or damaged in transit. A theft report or a delivery scan does not guarantee payment.

Amazon orders

Open Your Orders, select the missing order, and compare the address, photo, and tracking with what you actually saw. Check the locations in the delivery details, then ask people at home or a neighbor. Use that order's help or problem-reporting option. If a third-party seller fulfilled it, contact that seller from the same page. If tracking names a separate carrier, report the delivery problem there too. Save the case number and the written reply.

Amazon's help guidance says that for orders shipped by Amazon, you should contact Customer Service within 30 days of the expected delivery date. Marketplace and account instructions can differ, so confirm the deadline and remedy shown on your U.S. order. Amazon may offer a replacement, refund, investigation, or something else under the current policy. It may also ask for a police report. There is no blanket promise that every stolen package will be refunded.

UPS, FedEx, and other private carriers

Contact the retailer or sender, then use the carrier's official tracking or claims process. Ask whether the sender has to submit the claim. Provide the tracking number and shipping address; the delivery date, time, and photo or scan; the receipt or invoice; a description of the missing contents; footage and witness details; the police report number if you have one; and any declared-value or insurance information on the shipment.

Get a claim or investigation number and ask what happens next. Deadlines, who may file, required documents, and coverage vary by service and shipping account. The recipient is not automatically the claimant, and the carrier does not automatically owe the full retail price.

If the seller tells you to deal with the carrier, ask for that in writing. If the carrier says only the sender can file, send that reply to the seller and ask the seller to open the claim.

If it was stolen from an apartment

Notify the property manager or landlord in writing as soon as you can. Include the delivery time, location, and tracking information, and ask the building to preserve lobby, mailroom, elevator, or hallway video; package-room access records; locker logs; and any sign-in or delivery records.

A manager may be able to hold footage and still release it only to law enforcement, or only under the building's privacy rules. Ask how incident reports work there and whether the building has a locker or delivery policy.

The building is not automatically responsible for every parcel left in a common area. That can turn on the lease, what the building promised, the facts, and local law. A police report and a written preservation request are still useful while liability is unclear.

Insurance and payment options

Homeowners or renters insurance

Read the personal-property theft section or call the insurer. Ask whether theft from a porch, lobby, or similar location is covered; what the deductible is; whether electronics, jewelry, or other property have special limits; what proof of loss they want; and whether they need the police report plus the seller or carrier decision.

A claim may not be worth it when the item sits below the deductible. Give the insurer and the seller the same accurate account of the loss.

Credit cards and other payment methods

Some credit cards include purchase-protection benefits, with their own definitions, deadlines, exclusions, and paperwork. Ask the issuer for the benefit guide and whether a stolen delivery qualifies.

A billing dispute is not a substitute for contacting the seller. If the seller will not resolve it, ask the issuer whether its dispute process applies and what evidence it needs. Debit cards, prepaid cards, bank transfers, and peer-to-peer payments follow different procedures. Don't assume credit-card protections apply to them.

If the claim is denied or ignored

Keep a record of every call, chat, email, and claim number. Then:

  1. Read the stated reason for the denial.
  2. Decide whether the problem is missing proof, an ineligible service, a deadline, or a dispute over delivery.
  3. Send the missing documents with a short factual explanation.
  4. Ask for the decision and the policy reason in writing.
  5. Use the seller's marketplace appeal process if one exists.
  6. Follow the carrier's written appeal process.
  7. Ask your insurer for a written coverage decision if insurance is involved.
  8. Follow up with police on the incident number if you have new footage or a witness.

For USPS matters, USA.gov's postal complaint guidance separates Postal Service complaints from reports to the Postal Inspection Service. Use USPIS for suspected mail theft or mail fraud. Use USPS customer-service or claims channels for service and compensation issues.

If the package contained a check, contact your bank immediately. The Postal Inspection Service tells people dealing with a possibly stolen check to work with the bank and obtain front and back copies if the check was altered or cashed fraudulently. If the parcel held a payment card, identity document, prescription, or sensitive account information, contact the issuing institution or provider without waiting for the delivery investigation to finish.

Make the next delivery harder to steal

Use a carrier hold, package locker, retail pickup point, or staffed desk when you can. Send the order to work or to someone you trust if that is safer. Request a signature on valuable items, or schedule delivery for a time someone will be home. A secured, anchored parcel box large enough for typical deliveries helps more than a camera alone. Give the carrier a less visible drop-off spot if the service allows it, turn on delivery alerts, and keep enough camera storage that footage is still there when you need it. Ask a trusted neighbor to grab packages while you travel. Don't post delivery details or camera clips in public.

A camera can help prove what happened. It will not guarantee an arrest, a refund, or an insurance payout.

If the box is still missing, save the tracking page and any video now, before either disappears. Then report the loss through the seller, the carrier named on the tracking record, and, if you believe it was stolen, local police or the Postal Inspection Service for U.S. mail.