How to Prevent Your Packages Being Stolen over the Holidays

Package theft is a huge problem around the holidays.

It's so huge that police in New Jersey have teamed up with Amazon to deliver “fake” packages with real GPS transponders. They're doing it areas with a lot of package theft and it's designed to catch “porch pirates.”

Porch pirates are thieves who steal packages off porches (clever name, right?).

It's a common problem because it's such an easy theft. They drive around a neighborhood looking for packages. If they see any, they just walk up, take them, and leave. Package theft is such a huge problem around the holidays because the number of shipped packages goes up astronomically.

And this happens a lot during the day because people are at work. A nearby neighborhood's Facebook group is flooded with these theft complaints with residents wondering what they can do.

Fortunately, ther are steps you can take to help limit the damage:

Get Delivery Notifications

Track your packages every step of the way so you'll know when the package will get there.

If it's important, you may want to stay home or work from home that day to make sure you don't miss it.

You don't want it sitting on your porch for a few days, begging thieves to take it!

Use Amazon Lockers

If you have an Amazon Locker near you (see if you do), get your packages delivered to a secure locker.

To use Amazon Locker, just add a locker to your address book and have your packages sent to that locker address. When the package is delivered, they will send you a unique 6-digit code you use to unlock it. It's free. Take your package and go!

There are limitations for size and weight due to the locker size, but most items work. Our closest one happens to be in a nearby Whole Foods.

Another alternative is Amazon Key, which offers wireless control of a lock. Amazon offers in-home delivery that gives the driver access to your home for the purposes of delivering a package. They don't get a code, it's a one-time unlock associated with the delivery, and you get your packages securely delivered in your home. Learn more about Amazon Key.

Install a Ring Doorbell

This is arguably one of the pricier solutions but for a hundred bucks, you can install a Ring Wi-Fi enabled Video Doorbell. The Ring records video whenever it detects motion and doesn't need existing wires for installation. You can also see what it sees in real time whenever you want.

Just this past Halloween, one of our neighbors was out Trick Or Treating with us and left a bowl of candy on his porch with the classically ignored “just take one” note. In watching some of the video, one of the kids noticed the Ring doorbell and said to his friends “Hey guys, they have a Ring, just take one.” If it deters high school kids, it stands a chance of deterring thieves.

There's also a slightly pricier version 2.0 that offers 1080p HD video (vs. the 720p HD of the version 1) and a rechargeable battery pack.

Install Security Cameras

One step up from a Ring Doorbell is an actual home security system that includes high profile security cameras. Much of the value in security cameras is in deterrence, so make sure the cameras are prominently displayed for any potential thieves to see.

You'll want one that has a high-resolution video that records, to the cloud or locally, based on motion. Try to find one with decent night vision, since the sun sets relatively early in the day and your packages may be delivered in that darker period. The Arlo family of wireless cameras gets pretty good ratings.

Or, you could just install some dummy security cameras. 🙂

Deliver Packages to Work

If you work in an office, consider getting your packages delivered to you at work. Even if you don't work in an office but in a different type of environment, it might still be OK to get it delivered. Check with the powers that be to make sure.

Now, if you work in a larger office, speak with the office manager (or someone who plays that role) to ensure that this won't cause undue hardship. At some large corporations, the mail office can be a very chaotic and high volume so it will take time for a personal package to make it through the system.

Also, getting personal packages may be against company policy or cause someone to do a lot more work, especially around the holidays, so triple check it's OK. So before you start sending everything to your desk or work location, make sure it's acceptable.

Finally, deliveries may occur after business hours so keep an eye out on those notifications.

Deliver to UPS Store

If you can't get packages delivered at work, the next best option is to use a mailbox service like UPS

Hold Mail & Packages

If you go away during the holidays, make sure you put a hold on your mail and any packages. This should include newspaper delivery too. Thieves love seeing old newspapers on the driveway because it means the homeowner is probably not home.

To stop your mail or packages, here are the instructions from the major carriers:

Require Delivery Signature

This may not be as convenient but requiring your signature on delivery ensures it makes it to you or, at least, someone in your household. If someone is there, it means it's getting put in the house and not left on the porch.

Specify a Special Location

Some delivery services will let you specify where you want them to leave the package. You can identify a location other than your porch or outside your front door.

With many services, simply enter in the tracking number and there will be instructions on how to specify a delivery location. You may be required to log into your account (set one up if you need to) so that they can confirm your identity.

Consider Doorman

Doorman is a paid service that can manage your deliveries. You have your packages sent to them and they deliver them to you in 1-hour windows any day of the week. I believe they got their start in the commercial space but have rolled out a personal service.

This is also a great option if you live in a place where packages can't be left anywhere, such as an apartment complex. You can buy a package, starting at $19/month for 4 visits and 15 packages, or pay a la carte at $5 per visit and $2 per package. It's not cheap but it could prevent theft.

Overengineer a Trap

Or you can do this:

(Thanks Pete!)

With a few precautions, you can prevent thieves from turning your porch into their own Christmas tree!

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

Is Temu Legit? What You Need to Know

Temu is one of the world's fastest growing online shopping platforms. Its app was the most dowloaded shopping app in the world in 2023. But with growing concerns about product quality, alleged forced labor among some suppliers, and a perceived connection to the Chinese communist government, is Temu a safe place to shop online? Learn more.

Cred.ai Review: Helpful Tools for Building Credit

Cred.ai offers a credit card with features to help you build credit and manage spending. And if you open a cred.ai Deposit Account and set up Automatic Payment Services, you can avoid paying any fees or interest. Find out how it stacks up in this cred.ai review.

Swagbucks Review 2024: Is Swagbucks Worth It?

Swagbucks is an online rewards platform that allows you to earn points for completing various activities, including surveys, surfing the web, playing games, and shopping online. You can redeem the points you earn for various rewards. Is Swagbucks worth it? Find out in this Swagbucks review.

Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) Apps Like Klarna

Buy now, pay later apps like Klarna allow you to make purchases without having to pay in full upfront or incur interest charges. Many offer other features and benefits. But is it wise to use BNPL apps at all? Find out as we review these BNPL apps like Klarna.

About Jim Wang

Jim Wang is a forty-something father of four who is a frequent contributor to Forbes and Vanguard's Blog. He has also been fortunate to have appeared in the New York Times, Baltimore Sun, Entrepreneur, and Marketplace Money.

Jim has a B.S. in Computer Science and Economics from Carnegie Mellon University, an M.S. in Information Technology - Software Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, as well as a Masters in Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University. His approach to personal finance is that of an engineer, breaking down complex subjects into bite-sized easily understood concepts that you can use in your daily life.

One of his favorite tools (here's my treasure chest of tools,, everything I use) is Personal Capital, which enables him to manage his finances in just 15-minutes each month. They also offer financial planning, such as a Retirement Planning Tool that can tell you if you're on track to retire when you want. It's free.

He is also diversifying his investment portfolio by adding a little bit of real estate. But not rental homes, because he doesn't want a second job, it's diversified small investments in a few commercial properties and farms in Illinois, Louisiana, and California through AcreTrader.

Recently, he's invested in a few pieces of art on Masterworks too.

>> Read more articles by Jim

Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank or financial institution. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Reader Interactions

Comments

About the comments on this site:

These responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

  1. Steveark says

    Our 24×7 outdoor very large guard dogs handle that for us. I don’t care if UPS drops off a 60 inch 4k television and leaves it in plain sight by our door. Nobody is going to take a step up the driveway when they see Charlie and Sadie. Of course you have to live rural to have free range watch dogs like we do.

  2. Peter says

    We’ve taken some measures at our house. We installed a Nest Hello doorbell at our house so we can see what’s going on in front of our house, have asked the mail carrier to place packages behind a column on our porch to hide it, and if we have something expensive being sent we just have it delivered to the Amazon Locker at the grocery store near us. We have yet to have a package stolen as far as I know.

    Personally I like what one guy on YouTube did. He created a fake package to put on his porch that when opened will turn on and spin and blow extra fine glitter everywhere, and then release fart spray every 5 seconds until the cover is put back on. The device also had cameras with mobile data so the video could then be transmitted. He had some amazing video of people getting caught and having their cars glitter bombed.

As Seen In: