How to Prevent Amazon Package Theft: 8 Security Moves

If you tend to skip the strip mall in favor of online aisles, you know the worry that comes when your delivered packages are left vulnerable on your doorstep. And these worries are well founded.

According to a study by Insurance Quotes, 18% of American shoppers had packages stolen in 2020.¹

Don’t let your hassle-free Amazon deliveries fall victim to package thieves. Tracking down stolen items defeats the purpose of all that online convenience and causes unneeded anxiety.

Thankfully, you can take security measures to  even when you’re not at home. Here are eight smart moves you can make to foil the plans of porch pirates and prevent package theft.

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Not all security measures are high tech. When it comes to protecting your items, it still pays to be on friendly terms with the drivers who make deliveries in your neighborhood. When you know your delivery person, that means that they also know your package preferences.

You can let your delivery people know where and when you prefer to have packages delivered, and they can recommend alternative options if you’re expecting a lot of packages when you’ll be away from home.

Most delivery drivers have some discretion regarding deliveries. If something seems off at your home, a delivery person who knows you is more likely choose to leave you a notice about an attempted delivery instead of leaving your valuables at risk.

If you’re already an Amazon Prime member, then you’ll love the convenience and safety of Amazon Lockers. These are self-service lockers that let you safely pick up your Amazon purchases at a nearby location (like a convenience store or Whole Foods) when you're ready to take them home.

Amazon Lockers eliminate the need to have items delivered to your home, and they keep your packages secure until you’re available to pick them up. Lockers are currently available nationwide at more than 2,800 locations in over 70 major metropolitan areas.

If you don't have an Amazon Locker location nearby, you can search for other package delivery lockers through UPS Access. Or, you can buy a personal package locker or dropbox for your front porch.

Simply leave the locker open, and when a package is dropped off, the delivery person closes and locks it—keeping it safe until you return. Just make sure your locker is secured to the porch or heavy enough that a thief can't walk away with the whole thing.

Another good security practice is to collaborate with neighbors to fight package theft. Agree to look out for strangers in the neighborhood, and keep an eye on deliveries at one another’s homes.

You may be able to have packages delivered to a neighbor who will be home. Or, you can ask a neighbor to grab a package off your porch if you’re alerted to a delivery via a security camera or delivery notification.

Teaming up with neighbors is a smart way to keep your deliveries—and your whole neighborhood—secure. You can also help in a pinch by receiving deliveries for others or find a nearby neighbor who will accept your packages.

In-home delivery is difficult to get if you're not at home. But Amazon has you covered.

Key by Amazon is another way to prevent Amazon package theft. This free app lets Amazon delivery drivers safely place your packages inside your garage or gate.

With Amazon Key, you can remotely grant access to delivery people to make sure your packages are always delivered securely. You can schedule deliveries and get real-time alerts (and live video footage) about the status of your package.

Amazon Key isn't available in all areas, and you can only get Amazon Key deliveries if you're an Amazon Prime member. Here's what you need to know to find out if you're eligible for Amazon Key. (Note that all Amazon Key services vary in area availability.)

• Key for Garage requires a compatible garage door.
• You may need a myQ Smart Garage Kit to use Key for Garage.
• You can check online to see if your garage door is compatible and if Key for Garage is available in your area.

• Key for Gate requires professional installation of a Ring Access Controller Pro 2.
• You need to pair the gate controller with a Ring video doorbell or security camera.

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It may not be quite as convenient as receiving deliveries at your front door, but one sure way to guarantee safety is to have packages held at the post office or delivery service store until you can pick them up yourself.

Both FedEx and UPS provide options for you to have packages held at a local location rather than dropped off at your home. Another way to ensure secure delivery is to require a signature upon receipt. That way, if you’re not home to accept the delivery, your packages won’t be left unattended.

Another way to prevent package theft is to sign up for package delivery tracking. Most delivery companies—including Amazon—let you track your package from the warehouse right up to your porch.

I get alerts from Amazon, USPS, and UPS that tell me when my delivery is within five or fewer stops of my house. That way I can either make sure I'm home when the package is delivered, or ask a friend or neighbor to grab it for me.

Tracking your deliveries is a great way to make sure your packages land in your hands—not those of a porch pirate.

With more shopping conducted online than ever before, it’s important to keep your goods secure upon delivery.

Unfortunately, we can’t always be home, but that doesn’t mean we need to give package poachers an invitation to nab our purchases.

Use the package theft prevention tips we’ve provided and explore other home security options to make sure your deliveries don’t get disrupted by thieves.

• Worst Metro Cities for Package Theft
• How to Prevent Package Theft in Apartments
• 8 Ways to Burglar-Proof Your Mail Slot
• What to Do if You Have a Lost or Stolen Package

1. Insurance Quotes, Michael Giusti, "2020 Porch Pirates in the Age of COVID-19 Report," December 2020. Accessed October 24, 2022.
2. Annie Palmer, CNBC, "Amazon Ends Service That Delivers Packages to Prime Members' Cars," October 2021. Accessed October 24, 2022.