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Package Theft FAQs

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Written & researched by Dale Ferris Smart Home Editor
Updated August 2026

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Short version: report a stolen package to the carrier and retailer promptly, check homeowners or renters insurance as a backstop for higher-value items, and consider a video doorbell alongside a lock box for a complete prevention and evidence strategy.

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Common Questions

For product picks, see best package lock box. For video evidence of deliveries, see the video doorbells hub.

Straight Answers

Frequently Asked

What should I do if a package is stolen?

Report it to the carrier (USPS, UPS, FedEx or the retailer’s own delivery service) as soon as you notice it’s missing, since most have a formal lost or stolen package claims process, and check for video evidence if you have a doorbell camera — footage significantly strengthens a claim. Many retailers also have their own policy for replacing or refunding a package confirmed delivered but not received, separate from the carrier’s own process.

Does homeowners or renters insurance cover stolen packages?

Some homeowners and renters insurance policies cover stolen packages under personal property theft, though often subject to a deductible that may exceed the value of a typical package, making a claim impractical for lower-value items. Check your specific policy’s terms, and consider it a backstop for higher-value deliveries rather than a routine solution.

What other options exist besides a lock box?

A video doorbell (see the video doorbells hub) provides a recorded record and can deter theft through visible presence. Requiring a signature on delivery, having packages held at a pickup location (many carriers offer this), or having packages delivered to a workplace are all alternatives worth considering for high-value or theft-prone deliveries.

Are some neighborhoods or building types more prone to package theft?

Package theft correlates with visibility and accessibility — a porch clearly visible from the street with no barrier is a more attractive target than one set back or partially obscured, and multi-unit buildings with a shared, unsecured delivery area see theft patterns different from single-family homes. A lock box addresses the underlying accessibility problem regardless of the specific risk factors at a given address.