Your Amazon Package Stolen? Do This Immediately (Updated for 2022)

The packages you have delivered to your home from Amazon are no doubt important to you. Amazon is the retail e-commerce giant of the day. Customers can buy everything from electronics and books to groceries and household goods on the site.

Even better, Prime delivery gives consumers free one or two-day shipping, which means they often order more than what they buy in-store just because it is convenient.

The fact that Amazon managed to double its profits to $5.2 billion in the summer of 2020 indicates how many people use their services to order goods.

However, package theft has generated a major concern for people who shop on Amazon on a regular basis. Here is a look at the severity of the growing package theft problem and what you should do if your Amazon package is stolen.

Package Theft Is a Growing Problem in the United States

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, retail e-commerce sales exceeded $210 billion during the second quarter of 2020. This goes to show just how many packages were prepared and sent out with parcel carriers like the USPS, UPS, or FedEx for home delivery. Unfortunately, many of the people who anticipated those packages found themselves highly disappointed because their deliveries never showed up.

With the growing number of package deliveries, the number of packages stolen has also hit an all-time high. About 43 percent of online shoppers have reported they have had at least one stolen package in 2020. The number has grown by 7 percent since 2019.

That means that potentially two out of five home deliveries are taken from the delivery point. Some of the latest reports state that 1.7 million packages are stolen every day.

Steps to Take If Your Amazon Package Is Stolen

It can be really frustrating if you suspect a package has been stolen, but following a few steps will help you focus on making sure the situation is handled properly.

Check Everything on Your End Before Reporting the Package Stolen

Go to your Amazon account and make sure you listed the proper address when you placed your order. The information can be found by going to past orders and clicking on “Order Details” beside the order in question. If the address is correct, go ahead and verify the shipping status.

Track the package and look at the notations to ensure the information states the package was delivered. If all of this is good, do a quick check around your property to make sure the package is not tucked away in an inconspicuous place. If you have a porch camera, look at the footage to see if someone nabbed your order.

Contact Local Authorities If You Have Footage of Theft

If you are lucky enough to have footage of the theft, it should be reported to the local authorities right away. Not many package thefts get reported, which is one reason why the porch pirates who commit these crimes are allowed to keep going.

The faster you can file a report, the more likely it will be that the person gets caught. Some locations have stiffened penalties for package theft and take these crimes very seriously.

File a Report That Your Package Was Stolen

It is recommended to wait 36 hours before filing a report of a stolen package with Amazon. Some packages do show up after they have been marked as delivered, and it isn’t unheard of for a package to simply turn up at a neighbor’s house.

After waiting 36 hours, file a report with the package carrier who delivered the unit. The steps to take when filing a report with the three major carriers are described in our other guides:

Once you have filed your report with the package carrier, reach out to Amazon through their message center and let them know you have had a stolen order. They will want to know that you have filed a report with the proper carrier, and any evidence you can supply will be beneficial.

Take Measures to Prevent Future Package Thefts

Even though Amazon is known for good customer service and working with customers who have dealt with stolen packages, going through the process repeatedly can be a hassle. If you have problems with package theft in your neighborhood, it is a good idea to install a surveillance system on your porch and invest in a lockable parcel box where packages can be held safely until you get to them.