Package theft (or "porch piracy") is a frustrating and common problem for apartment dwellers. The good news is that there are many effective strategies, from quick fixes to long-term solutions, to secure your deliveries.
Here’s a multi-layered approach to protect your packages:
This is your first and most direct line of defense.
Require a Signature: For valuable items, select the "signature required" option at checkout. This ensures the carrier will not leave the package unattended.
Ship to a Secure Location:
Your Workplace: If your company allows it, this is often the safest option.
Family or Friend's House: Ship to a trusted person who you know will be home.
Hold for Pickup: Use carrier services like UPS Access Points, FedEx Hold at Location, or USPS Package Intercept. You can pick up your package from a nearby secure location (e.g., a pharmacy, grocery store, or carrier store).
Use Shipment Tracking and Alerts: Enable text or email notifications. As soon as you get the "delivered" alert, try to retrieve the package immediately.
Provide Specific Delivery Instructions: Use the delivery notes field to ask the driver to place the package out of sight from the main hallway or street (e.g., "leave behind the potted plant by the door" or "deliver to the leasing office"). Note: Carriers are busy and may not always follow these instructions.
Make it physically harder for thieves to steal your packages.
Invest in a Smart Package Drop Box: For ground-floor apartments or units with a small patio, a secure box like a Package Guard or The DoorBot can be a great solution. The delivery person places the package inside, and it locks automatically.
Install a Smart Doorbell or Security Camera: Devices like Ring, Nest Hello, or Eufy are powerful deterrents. Even a visible fake camera can make a thief think twice. The video evidence is crucial for identifying thieves and filing police reports.
Use a Smart Lock: If you own your apartment or have your landlord's permission, a smart lock (like August or Yale) can allow you to grant one-time access to a delivery person to place the package inside your door. This is a more advanced solution and requires trust in the carrier system.
You pay rent and often amenities fees—put them to work!
The Leasing Office: The simplest solution is to have all packages delivered directly to the leasing or property management office. They can hold them for you until you pick them up.
Request a Package Room or Lockers: If your building doesn't have one, petition your property manager to install a secure package room or smart lockers. This is one of the most effective long-term solutions for the entire building.
Smart Parcel Lockers (like those by Luxer One or Amazon Hub) are perfect for this. Carriers place the package in a locker, and you receive a unique code to open it. The 10.1-inch built-in locker with face recognition is a top-tier example, offering secure, contactless, and convenient access for residents without the need for codes or keys that can be lost or stolen.
Talk to Your Neighbors: Create a community watch. Neighbors can keep an eye out for suspicious activity and retrieve each other's packages if they see them sitting out.
If you're on a budget, these tactics can still be very effective.
"Bait" the Package: Leave an empty, taped-up Amazon box on your doorstep. A thief might take the decoy and leave your real delivery (which you've had sent to a safer location) untouched.
Disguise the Package: If you know a package is coming, leave an empty trash bin or storage tote by your door and ask the driver (via delivery instructions) to place the package inside and put the lid on.
Be Present for Delivery: If your schedule allows, try to schedule deliveries for days you know you'll be working from home or will be off work.
Despite your best efforts, theft can still happen. Act quickly:
Check All Possible Locations: Confirm with neighbors and the leasing office that they didn't accept it for you.
Contact the Seller/Retailer: Many companies, especially large ones like Amazon, have good customer service policies and may reship the item or issue a refund.
File a Report with the Shipping Carrier: Start a claim with USPS, UPS, or FedEx. Their insurance may cover the loss.
File a Police Report: This creates an official record and helps police track crime in your area. Provide any video evidence you have from your security camera.
Dispute the Charge with Your Credit Card Company: If all else fails, your credit card may offer purchase protection.
The most robust approach is a combination of methods:
For daily convenience: Use your building's package locker system or the leasing office.
For high-value items: Opt for "hold for pickup" or require a signature.
For deterrence and evidence: Install a video doorbell.
For community-wide change: Advocate for your property manager to invest in a modern, secure package management solution like an integrated smart locker system.
By being proactive and using these layers of security, you can dramatically reduce the risk of becoming a victim of package theft.
Package theft (or "porch piracy") is a frustrating and common problem for apartment dwellers. The good news is that there are many effective strategies, from quick fixes to long-term solutions, to secure your deliveries.
Here’s a multi-layered approach to protect your packages:
This is your first and most direct line of defense.
Require a Signature: For valuable items, select the "signature required" option at checkout. This ensures the carrier will not leave the package unattended.
Ship to a Secure Location:
Your Workplace: If your company allows it, this is often the safest option.
Family or Friend's House: Ship to a trusted person who you know will be home.
Hold for Pickup: Use carrier services like UPS Access Points, FedEx Hold at Location, or USPS Package Intercept. You can pick up your package from a nearby secure location (e.g., a pharmacy, grocery store, or carrier store).
Use Shipment Tracking and Alerts: Enable text or email notifications. As soon as you get the "delivered" alert, try to retrieve the package immediately.
Provide Specific Delivery Instructions: Use the delivery notes field to ask the driver to place the package out of sight from the main hallway or street (e.g., "leave behind the potted plant by the door" or "deliver to the leasing office"). Note: Carriers are busy and may not always follow these instructions.
Make it physically harder for thieves to steal your packages.
Invest in a Smart Package Drop Box: For ground-floor apartments or units with a small patio, a secure box like a Package Guard or The DoorBot can be a great solution. The delivery person places the package inside, and it locks automatically.
Install a Smart Doorbell or Security Camera: Devices like Ring, Nest Hello, or Eufy are powerful deterrents. Even a visible fake camera can make a thief think twice. The video evidence is crucial for identifying thieves and filing police reports.
Use a Smart Lock: If you own your apartment or have your landlord's permission, a smart lock (like August or Yale) can allow you to grant one-time access to a delivery person to place the package inside your door. This is a more advanced solution and requires trust in the carrier system.
You pay rent and often amenities fees—put them to work!
The Leasing Office: The simplest solution is to have all packages delivered directly to the leasing or property management office. They can hold them for you until you pick them up.
Request a Package Room or Lockers: If your building doesn't have one, petition your property manager to install a secure package room or smart lockers. This is one of the most effective long-term solutions for the entire building.
Smart Parcel Lockers (like those by Luxer One or Amazon Hub) are perfect for this. Carriers place the package in a locker, and you receive a unique code to open it. The 10.1-inch built-in locker with face recognition is a top-tier example, offering secure, contactless, and convenient access for residents without the need for codes or keys that can be lost or stolen.
Talk to Your Neighbors: Create a community watch. Neighbors can keep an eye out for suspicious activity and retrieve each other's packages if they see them sitting out.
If you're on a budget, these tactics can still be very effective.
"Bait" the Package: Leave an empty, taped-up Amazon box on your doorstep. A thief might take the decoy and leave your real delivery (which you've had sent to a safer location) untouched.
Disguise the Package: If you know a package is coming, leave an empty trash bin or storage tote by your door and ask the driver (via delivery instructions) to place the package inside and put the lid on.
Be Present for Delivery: If your schedule allows, try to schedule deliveries for days you know you'll be working from home or will be off work.
Despite your best efforts, theft can still happen. Act quickly:
Check All Possible Locations: Confirm with neighbors and the leasing office that they didn't accept it for you.
Contact the Seller/Retailer: Many companies, especially large ones like Amazon, have good customer service policies and may reship the item or issue a refund.
File a Report with the Shipping Carrier: Start a claim with USPS, UPS, or FedEx. Their insurance may cover the loss.
File a Police Report: This creates an official record and helps police track crime in your area. Provide any video evidence you have from your security camera.
Dispute the Charge with Your Credit Card Company: If all else fails, your credit card may offer purchase protection.
The most robust approach is a combination of methods:
For daily convenience: Use your building's package locker system or the leasing office.
For high-value items: Opt for "hold for pickup" or require a signature.
For deterrence and evidence: Install a video doorbell.
For community-wide change: Advocate for your property manager to invest in a modern, secure package management solution like an integrated smart locker system.
By being proactive and using these layers of security, you can dramatically reduce the risk of becoming a victim of package theft.
