Why You Can Trust CNET 7 ways to keep packages from getting stolen off your porch
New and updated ways to defend yourself against "porch pirates" and other would-be package thieves.
Amazon Key aims to eliminate the porch problem by letting delivery people put packages inside your front door -- or, if you prefer, your garage or car trunk.
One unfortunate side-effect of our modern buy-everything-online lifestyle: package theft. A box or pile of boxes left sitting on your front stoop makes an easy target for "porch pirates," some of whom follow delivery trucks and scoop up packages moments after they're dropped off.
This has turned into a serious problem. According to a 2017 Shorr Packaging study, nearly one third of Americans have had a package stolen from outside their home.
So what can do you? How can you thwart these thieves? Let's take a look at some of the best options.
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Sign up for Amazon Key
Amazon is tackling this problem head-on (or attempting to, anyway) with Amazon Key, which combines various smart devices -- locks, cameras, etc. -- that can allow delivery services to place packages inside your front door, garage or even car trunk.
Yep, that means you have to be willing to allow a complete stranger to enter your home or car. Cameras and/or apps monitor the whole thing, but it's still kind of an unsettling notion. (That said, don't let it freak you out.)
Compatible Amazon Key Smart Lock Kits for home start at around $215, though installation is no longer included. Instead, it's now a $140 add-on. The service is currently available in about 50 cities, 13 of which were just added. You must be an Amazon Prime subscriber to use Key.
Key In-Car also requires Prime; it's available in about three dozen cities and works with "2015 and newer Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC and Volvo vehicles with an active connected car service plan, such as OnStar or On Call."
Finally, if you have (or buy) a Chamberlain MyQ smart garage-door opener, Amazon's latest Key option allows delivery drivers to put packages inside the garage.
See if there's an Amazon Locker near you
Amazon deliveries don't have to end up on your porch. They can go to Amazon Lockers, which are exactly that: lockers located in various locations (think Whole Foods, 7-Eleven, department stores and so on). Upon delivery, you'll receive the combination needed to retrieve your package.
Of course, the whole point of package delivery is convenience; driving to a store kind of defeats the purpose. But if you frequently shop at, say, Whole Foods anyway, and you're not receiving particularly large or heavy packages, this does offer a very safe alternative to your porch.
There's no charge to use Amazon Lockers, and you can also use them for returns -- a nice alternative to waiting in line at post office or UPS store.
Install a BoxLock
The BoxLock is a smart padlock that will open after successfully scanning a package. Then the driver can put your package inside your storage container. (Here's hoping they don't forget to lock it up again.)
How about a locker for your porch, one that's not limited to Amazon deliveries? That's the idea behind BoxLock, a smart padlock that scans packages so that delivery drivers can unlock a storage box on your porch.
You provide the box; BoxLock handles the scanning and connectivity. The latter happens over Wi-Fi, with the lock checking the bar code to make sure it's a box you're expecting and one tagged "out for delivery." If so, presto: the lock opens.
It sounds like a pretty solid solution, but it's a pricey one: $129.
Enlist a neighbor
Is there a neighbor you trust? One who's home most days? Consider asking if you can have packages shipped to their house. The hassle for you: picking up those packages at a time that's convenient for both you and the neighbor. The hassle for them: dealing with delivery drivers, keeping your stuff piled by their door, the aforementioned pickup logistics and so on.
Needless to say, this merits some kind of thank you, whether it's a plate of cookies, a Starbucks gift card, a shoveled driveway in winter -- you get the idea.
Have packages delivered to the office
This is arguably one of the safest options, as delivery becomes an "inside job" (meaning packages aren't left outside). There are a few considerations, however, not the least of which is the need to juggle one or more boxes from your office to your car (or, if you're a commuter, to your train or bus).
If you work in a large building, you may be subject to the whims of the mailroom -- boxes can just as easily get delayed or misplaced between there and your desk.
Finally, it's not uncommon for delivery attempts to happen in the evening, after the building is closed. That could lead to packages getting returned because there's no one to receive them.
Install a security camera
Fake or real? Hopefully a porch pirate won't risk finding out.
No thief is going to risk getting caught on camera, right? Actually, cameras aren't much of a deterrent if criminals don't know they're there, which is quite possible with unobtrusive products such as the Ring 2 or Nest Hello video doorbell. And that's the whole point: to deter the theft.
So while it's increasingly affordable to add a video camera to your front porch (the Remo S, for example, costs just $99), you might do just as well (or better) with a fake one that really stands out.
Read more: The best video doorbells for 2019
For example, this two-pack of dummy security cameras sells for just $13. They look pretty convincing, though professional thieves can probably spot fakes. (Pro tip: Don't bother with the battery-powered red LED in each camera, as real ones don't actually blink.) You also get a sticker that warns, "24 hour security cameras recording."
I'm not saying you shouldn't deploy the real thing, because obviously a fake won't give you footage you can use to help convict a thief. I'm saying that a video doorbell might not deter an amateur porch pirate because it doesn't immediately announce, "I'm a video camera!"
Sign up for delivery alerts
Knowledge is power -- in this case, the knowledge that a package has been delivered. That way you'll know exactly what time it was dropped off and where it was left (front door, back porch, wherever).
Whenever possible, then, sign up for delivery alerts. Amazon, for example, can notify you via text message when a package is shipped, out for delivery and delivered -- and also if there's a problem along the way. To subscribe to this option, access your Amazon account settings, look for the Email alerts, messages and ads section, click Shipment updates via text and then click Subscribe.
The USPS, meanwhile, offers a service called Informed Delivery, which includes a packaging-tracking option. Whenever a package is shipped to your address using a USPS tracking number, you can opt to receive email or text notifications indicating delivery status.
Similarly, you can sign up for UPS My Choice and receive all manner of shipping notifications.
Originally published on Jan. 10, 2018.
Update, April 24, 2019: Refreshed various links and added new Amazon Key information.
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