Quiz: How Protected Are You Against Package Thieves?

Imagine this: you just ordered a gift online, and according to the tracking information, it will arrive just in time. On delivery day, you get an email while at work that it’s been delivered, only to come home to an empty, package-less porch.

While it may have been delivered to the wrong address, there’s also a decent chance it was actually stolen. Over 36% of people in the U.S. have had a package stolen off of their porch at least once by package thieves.

porch pirate package theft — Take this quiz to figure how protected you are against package theft.

While no one wants to be the victim of package theft, you may actually be more at risk than others. Take our quiz to find out how protected you are against package thieves.

Tips to avoid package theft

Package theft typically happens fast. Oftentimes, a thief is cruising the neighborhood, spots a pile of packages on the door, and quickly loads them into their car. This type of theft also tends to peak in the winter, when people are more likely to be shopping for the holidays and the daylight hours are shorter, making them less likely to be spotted.

A few things you can do to keep your porch safe include:

Have your packages sent to another location, like your place of employment or a PO box
Schedule your delivery times, if the carrier offers this option
Require a signature for delivery. This can help protect expensive items and ensure you are home to collect your package.

But what do you do if you expect your packages have been stolen? Some steps to take immediately include:

Report the missing package to the carrier as soon as possible. Call the carrier and provide your tracking number. They will attempt to contact the delivery driver and locate your package for you. Your package may have simply been delivered to the wrong address, and the carrier on the route will often collect it and re-deliver.
File a missing package claim with the carrier. Usually, both merchants and carriers will require this if you are seeking compensation or a replacement.
Inform the sender that your package never arrived, and request a replacement.
File a police report. If the theft was a big-ticket item, you will need to file a police report as well.

package delivery person — If you have a package stolen, contact the delivery company as soon as possible.

The best way to avoid package theft

What’s the most popular deterrent against package theft? Doorbell cameras. More than 40% of porch theft victims have purchased doorbell cameras to help deter porch pirates from stealing from them, and for good reason.

The presence of a doorbell camera alone is often enough of a deterrent for a thief. Most of us have seen videos online of doorbell camera footage shared by neighbors or police, and footage is usually clear enough that the thief is quickly identifiable—many won’t want to take that risk.

So what’s the best home security camera you can buy to protect your front porch? The Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro. It goes beyond your regular doorbell camera, capturing footage of anyone who comes to your doorstep while proactively protecting your packages at the same time. Take a look at a few things that set this doorbell camera apart:

Smart Sentry AI Protection. Smart Sentry is on alert 24/7. When a lurker is spotted on your porch, it immediately illuminates the LED ring around the camera and sounds a warning tone. This captures the potential thief’s attention and lets them know they’re on camera.
Package delivery notifications. The Doorbell Camera Pro sends notifications to your smartphone, so you know immediately if a package has been delivered to your porch. The same goes for visitors (whether they ring the bell or not). It's like having a remote doorbell on your smartphone.
Wide field of view. With a 180x180 field of vision, you won’t miss a thing. The camera offers the widest and tallest field of view, so you’ll capture everything.
Clear picture day or night. The camera also boasts a 1080p HDR sensor, so you’ll get a clear picture of both live and recorded footage. What’s more, the camera retains this clear view even when you zoom in.
Remote answering. You may not be home when someone comes to your door, but they don’t need to know that. The Doorbell Camera Pro features two-way talk, so you can tell whoever is at the door that you’re busy and ask them to come back at a different time. Or, use it to let a potential porch pirate know you’ve spotted them!

With the Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro, you can rest easy knowing your front porch–and your packages–are as safe as possible.

Download our guide to home security.

Home is everything, so protect it. In this free guide you’ll find the information you need to create a safer, more secure home with the added convenience and comfort that come with smart automation.