Package theft is preventable — but only by the methods that take the box off the porch. Here is what actually works, and what just records the theft happening.
Key takeaways
- Only three methods actually prevent theft: a locked delivery locker, in-garage delivery, or a staffed pickup point. Everything else lowers the odds.
- An estimated 104 million packages were stolen last year — roughly $37 billion in total impact.
- 98% of stolen packages were visible from the street. Visibility is the vulnerability, not the absence of a camera.
- Most porch theft happens in daylight, within hours of delivery — which is why motion lighting does almost nothing.
The short answer
The only methods that reliably prevent package theft are the ones that remove the package from open view: a locked delivery locker at your door, delivery into your garage, or delivery to a staffed pickup location. Cameras, motion lighting, and signature requirements reduce your risk — they don't eliminate it.
Every method, ranked by whether it closes the gap between drop-off and pickup — the window in which every porch theft happens:
| Method | Prevents theft? | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Smart delivery locker | Yes | Upfront hardware cost |
| In-garage delivery | Yes | Amazon orders only |
| Staffed pickup point | Yes | You make the trip, every time |
| Workplace delivery | Yes | Weekdays, small boxes, office rules |
| Scheduling & redirects | Sometimes | Needs your day to cooperate |
| Signature required | Sometimes | Usually becomes a missed delivery |
| Doorbell camera | No | Records it; rarely deters it |
| Motion lighting | No | Theft is a daytime crime |
Ranked by whether the method closes the delivery-to-pickup gap, not by popularity.
How big the problem actually is
Sources: SafeWise 2025 U.S. Package Theft Report1 and Dr. Ben Stickle's video analysis.4
Estimates vary, because no central agency tracks package theft — the USPS Inspector General counts at least 58 million stolen in 2024 across all carriers.2 What every source agrees on: it concentrates where deliveries are frequent, it happens in daylight, and almost none of it is solved. Prevention beats response.
The three methods that actually work
A smart delivery locker
A weatherproof, anchored box at your door that carriers can open and thieves can't. The carrier enters a code, drops the package in, and the lid locks — so there is no gap between drop-off and pickup at all. It's the only method here that covers every delivery from every carrier without changing how you shop, and the only one that still works when your day doesn't go to plan.
In-garage delivery
Amazon Key drops orders inside your garage using a compatible smart opener.3 It works well — for Amazon orders, for Prime members, in eligible areas, if you have a garage. The limits are the point: it doesn't cover your Chewy order, your pharmacy shipment, or a gift sent from anywhere else.
A staffed pickup point
Amazon Hub lockers, UPS Access Points, FedEx OnSite counters, and USPS hold-for-pickup are secure and free. The trade is that every delivery becomes an errand. A 20-minute round trip per package adds up fast at four deliveries a week. Fine as a backup, frustrating as a lifestyle.
Why the popular fixes fall short
Carrier apps — UPS My Choice, FedEx Delivery Manager, USPS Informed Delivery — let you reschedule or redirect for free, and you should have all three. But they depend on you seeing the alert and acting on it. Signature requirements keep the box off the step, then usually turn into a missed delivery and a trip to a hold location anyway. Motion lighting is sensible home security and nearly irrelevant here, because packages are taken in daylight.
Which leaves the camera — the most common purchase people make after a stolen package. A doorbell camera changes what you know, not what happens: you get a notification, a clip, and a claim number, and the package is still gone. Cameras and lockers aren't competitors. A camera tells you who came to your door; a locker decides what they can take.
of stolen packages were visible from the street in criminologist Dr. Ben Stickle's video analysis — and homes within 25 feet of the road accounted for 61% of observed thefts. Visibility, not the absence of a camera, is what porch pirates exploit.4
If your package was already stolen
- Check tracking and search the property. Carriers mark packages delivered early more often than you'd think.
- Contact the retailer, not the carrier. Amazon, Target, and Walmart will usually refund or replace on a first claim. Fastest path by far.
- File a carrier claim if the retailer won't act. You'll need the tracking number and proof of value.
- File a police report for high-value items — you'll need it for insurance or credit-card purchase protection, even if an arrest is unlikely.
How hyve closes the gap
hyve is a smart delivery locker for the front of your house, and it closes the gap two ways: the package goes straight into a locked box, and you find out who put it there. Every carrier gets its own vendor PIN, so UPS, FedEx, USPS, and Amazon can each open it — and the app shows you which carrier opened your box, and when, in real time. Not "a package was delivered." Who opened it, at what minute.
It holds 7.4 cubic feet, stands 32 inches tall, anchors to your door, gate, post, or fence with a universal security tether, and runs on AA batteries with solar and USB-C backup — no wiring, no electrician. $297, one time. On a paid plan it works in both directions: in hyve Returns ZIP codes a driver collects your returns automatically, with nothing to book; everywhere else you book the courier pickup yourself in the app. Either way you skip the drop-off trip, and the return waits locked inside instead of out on the porch.
Close the gap
Delivered. And off your mind.
Every carrier, locked away the second it arrives — and you know exactly who opened your box.
See how hyve worksQuestions, answered
What is the best way to prevent package theft?
Remove the package from open view at the moment of delivery. A locked smart delivery locker does this for every carrier without changing how you shop. In-garage delivery and staffed pickup points also work, but each covers only part of what you order.
Is package theft a felony?
It depends on the state, and the thresholds are narrower than headlines suggest. Texas scales the offense by how many addresses are hit — fewer than 10 is a Class A misdemeanor.5 Michigan makes a first offense a misdemeanor and a second a felony.6 Georgia requires three or more items taken from three or more addresses.7 Elsewhere it's charged as larceny, where value determines severity.
Does Amazon refund stolen packages?
Usually. Report it through Your Orders and Amazon will typically refund or reship, especially on a first claim. Repeat claims get more scrutiny, and third-party sellers can be slower.
Does homeowners insurance cover stolen packages?
Often, under personal property coverage — but your deductible usually exceeds the package's value, and claims can affect premiums. The retailer or carrier claim is the better first move.
Keep reading
Sources
General information as of August 2026; not legal advice.
