How to Stop Porch Pirates From Stealing Holiday Packages?
Redirect holiday orders to lockers, require signatures, and time deliveries to stop porch theft.
Porch pirates are people who steal delivered parcels left at doorsteps. You stop them by keeping holiday packages off the porch. Redirect orders to a locker or carrier counter, choose signature when offered, and collect parcels right away.
The scale is large. SafeWise estimates 104 million packages were stolen in the past year, about 250,000 per day, as detailed in its SafeWise package-theft analysis. That loss cost consumers $15 billion plus $22 billion in retailer refunds, about $143 per package.
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Collect parcels fast and cover time away
Thieves watch for boxes left for hours. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service advises customers to promptly collect mail and packages and never leave them unattended overnight, as explained in its Postal Inspection Service mail-theft tips.
Make collection part of your delivery-day plan. Travel needs backup. Arrange for a neighbor to pick up parcels or use USPS Hold for Pickup when away.
That request keeps mail at the post office until you return.
- Track the delivery day and meet the carrier when possible.
- Ask a neighbor for daytime pickup.
- Place a Hold for Pickup before travel.
Ask for a signature and a safer drop spot
A signature moves handoff from porch to person. The FTC advises choosing "signature required" at checkout when offered, as described in its FTC holiday delivery advice. Use it for gifts that cost more to replace.
Instructions also help. Give a specific, less-visible drop spot or ask to redirect the parcel. Keep notes short so the driver can follow them fast.
Send Amazon orders to a locker
Lockers remove the porch wait. Amazon lets shoppers redirect eligible orders to an Amazon Hub Locker pickup point through Your Orders before the package reaches the delivery station, as explained on its Amazon Hub Locker help page. You then retrieve it with a pickup code.
Check eligibility early. Not every item or address qualifies. Choose the locker at checkout or soon after ordering, before the parcel moves too far.
Hold UPS and FedEx parcels for pickup
Carrier counters work like lockers. UPS My Choice lets recipients request a delivery hold, reroute a parcel to another address where allowed, or hold it at a UPS location or Access Point for pickup, according to UPS. Set the request as soon as tracking shows movement.
FedEx offers similar control. Recipients can use Manage Delivery or free Delivery Manager to hold a package at a FedEx Office, Walgreens or other location, according to FedEx. Packages are normally held up to 7 days, with a vacation hold up to 14 days, so set the pickup date before you travel.