What Happens After Your Package Is Stolen?
Despite your efforts to protect your package deliveries from porch pirates, what do you do if your package is stolen from your porch, doorstep, or condo lobby or somewhere else? It’s a stressful situation to find yourself in, but there is action you can take to figure out what happened.
Initially, search the area and surroundings where your package is generally delivered. Sometimes deliveries are tossed onto a porch or over a fence and then unintentionally land in shrubbery or bushes, or under outdoor furniture. The delivery person may have left it in a hidden place such as your garage, in a tree (yes, it’s happened), or on a patio. Check with well-meaning neighbors or building managers who may have picked up your package by mistake, or put it somewhere secure and forgot to tell you.
Check Your Home Security Cameras
Check your security camera and/or video doorbell camera footage. You’ll be able to see if your package was actually delivered and whether a porch pirate stole it. Safe the video footage for any claims or police report you may file.
Since some couriers don’t cover thefts of deliveries, if your package is missing, here are steps you can take:
Contact the Courier
Contact the courier to confirm that your package was delivered. If you tracking on your package, you should be able to see when or if the package was delivered. Call the shipping company (or retailer, if the order was shipped by the retailer) as soon as you discover the package is missing. Have your tracking number and invoice or order number that will help the retailer figure out the route your package traveled.
If your package was lost or stolen while still in the shipping company’s possession, you may be entitled to compensation. For instance, UPS automatically covers packages shipped by their service for up to $100 if damaged or lost (or stolen).
File an Insurance Claim with the Shipping Company
If the shipping company is not able to help with your missing package, file a claim to report the issue. DHL, FedEx, UPS, the USPS, and other express companies will typically attempt track down your package. Remeber that these are large companies that handle tens of thousands of packages, be prepared to follow up on your claim – stay proactive. By starting an insurance claim for your package, you can at least reduce your loss as much as possible.
The courier may be a shipper that requires the sender, not the recipient, to start the claim. If the retailer doesn’t assist you, immediately contact the courier. Generally, you have only a limited number of days to file a claim. When filing the claim, you can request a full reimbursement.
Contact the Retailer
It is best to read the retailer’s shipping and handling policy before ordering from them. Retailers have varying policies about package theft. Some retailer’s fine-print includes a clause that says the retailer is not liable for the risk of loss (including theft) and passes to the buyer when the item is transferred from the retailer to the shipping company. Regardless, contacting the retailer is still a good policy to see if the item can be replaced or if you can be reimbursed for the loss.
Contact Your Credit Card Issue
Credit cards sometimes have the benefit of purchase protection that covers your lost or stolen purchases. File a loss claim with the credit card issuer. You can also request a chargeback from your credit card company.
Check Your Homeowners Insurance
Depending on coverage, you may be able to file a claim with your homeowners or renters insurance company. If your insurance deductible is higher than the cost of the package, the insurance may not help in this case.
File a Police Report
If the item stolen from your property is expensive, you want to file a police report to recover the value of your purchase. Having surveillance video footage is great information for your report. If you’re filing an insurance claim with the credit card company, insurance company, retailer, or shipper, you might need a police report to go with the claim. For a smaller purchase, you might not want to do this and/or you may need to go to your local police department to make the report.
File a Postal Inspection Service Complaint
Remember to also file a complaint with the U.S. Postal Service about lost or stolen mail or mail fraud – the lost, stolen, or missing package from your porch. You can file a complaint about U.S. Postal Service theft or fraud, or theft or fraud from a person or company outside the USPS, depending on the courier.
Like mail theft, package theft has become a reality. Porch pirates are savvy and sneaky. With increased awareness of package theft and codified consequences, law enforcement now regards porch piracy as an actual crime; unfortunately, even with security camera footage, porch pirates are difficult to catch. Being proactive and layering your home security system – motion-detection lighting, security cameras, video doorbells and smart home connectivity, can help deter porch pirates and package theft. A good security system also provides you with the evidence you need to recover your property or the value of it if it happens.
Get Porch Pirate Protection tips here.
Rapid International offers package retrieval services as part of our patrol operation. We’ll move or store your delivery for you. We’re committed to building a safer community together, so let’s work together soon.
Rapid International Offers Community Solutions
Safety, Community, Together. Rapid International provides security services, including staffed areas and patrol services, prioritizing neighborhood-based security in collaboration with your community. Rapid’s management has extensive experience in the security industry and in each city, we build partnerships with local law enforcement and emergency service agencies. Together with community members, we work to make people and communities safe and secure.
Please get in touch to learn about our community-level security program – we believe the strength of collaboration and partnership make neighborhoods safer for everyone. In Georgia, call: (706) 844-2586, in California call: (213) 364-1394 or email us at info@therapidway.com.
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