Last year, when the News + Record wrote a story about boxes being poached from people’s porches, local law enforcement told us that they didn’t get a lot of reports of it happening in Chatham County.
But it’s a new holiday season, and reports across the country are that these thieves are still on the loose.
Various studies estimate that around 23 million Americans have packages stolen from their porches every year, and 36 percent of the respondents of 2019 study from C+R Research of 2,000 consumers said they had a package stolen.
So how do you avoid being one of those people, and what do you do if a package is taken? We did some research, and here’s what we’ve got:
To protect your packages
Track your deliveries: Most websites and delivery services allow you to track your packages directly from your phone. Make sure you’re following their arrival.
Talk to your neighbors: If your neighbors are home during the day and you’re not, perhaps they can be available to watch for the package and bring it into their house for you to get later.
Set your work address as the delivery point: By having your package delivered directly to your work address, you can get it during the day without worrying about it sitting on your porch for all to see.
Have packages delivered to the store: Some companies like Walmart and Target allow you to buy gifts online and pick them up at their nearest location. This ensures that the item doesn’t leave the store until you get it.
Redirect to alternative locations: FedEx and UPS offer different pick-up locations. Along with their respective stores, FedEx packages can be retrieved from Walgreens, Dollar General and Kroger, while UPS boxes can be picked up at CVS or Michaels. Contact the shipping company and request the change with your tracking number.
If you think your package was stolen
Policies and procedures for stolen packages depend on the delivery company. Here’s a breakdown.
FedEx: You can file a lost package claim at FedEx’s website. Make sure you have the tracking number. Safewise.com says claims normally take 5-7 business days to resolve.
UPS: If you’ve bought something stateside, you can’t file a missing package report until 60 days afterward. File a claim on UPS’ website.
USPS: Have your tracking number ready and file a claim on USPS’ website. If the package was insured, you should be able to get a refund directly from USPS is lost and through the seller if stolen.
In all scenarios, no matter the delivery company, there’s a couple things you should do.
Contact law enforcement: As with any suspected theft, law enforcement should be notified.
Have all proof available: Make sure you have the tracking number, items purchased, money spent and reported date of receipt.
Reporter Zachary Horner can be reached at zhorner@chathamnr.com or on Twitter at @ZachHornerCNR.