2020 Package Theft Statistics Report

Ecommerce continues to grow at a rapid pace as millions of American consumers opt for the convenience of online shopping. But with that convenience comes the risk of package theft, which continues to be a problem in cities and neighborhoods across the country. 

After conducting our 2019 Package Theft Statistics Report last year, we conducted a new 2020 Package Theft Statistics Report to get additional insight into how Americans are affected by package thieves. For this year’s report, we asked 2,000 consumers who have shopped online at least once within the last 12 months about their experiences with package theft as well as the preventative measures they’ve taken to avoid having a package stolen in the future.

Package Theft Statistics 

According to respondents, over half (59%) receive some type of package on a weekly basis, which is up 10 percentage points from our 2019 Package Theft Statistics Report. Considering the continued growth of ecommerce spending along with many Americans staying home and shopping online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is not a surprise that more consumers are receiving more packages. 
 

Package Theft Victims

Overall, the number of respondents who reported having a package stolen rose from 36% in 2019 to 43% in 2020. And of the 43% who have had a package stolen, almost two-thirds (64%) say they’ve been a victim of package theft more than once. 

Nearly half (47%) filed a police report once they discovered their package had been stolen. The average value of the stolen package was $136, but thankfully, 81% say they received a refund on the stolen item(s).  

As package thieves, or “porch pirates,” become craftier, it’s important for consumers to be one step ahead when it comes to package theft prevention. Doorbell cameras are one of the most common ways to deter package thieves. These small cameras allow homeowners to screen and monitor who comes to their front door in real-time. According to respondents, 50% have some type of doorbell camera, motion lights or other type of surveillance camera to prevent package theft.  

While delivery companies like FedEx, UPS and Amazon Prime have made advancements in preventing packages from being stolen such as requiring signatures and even lock boxes, 32% of consumers still feel these companies should be doing more. 

Package Theft and COVID-19

We all know that the COVID-19 pandemic has altered the way many Americans shop, specifically, online shopping and same-day delivery have become preferred ways for consumers to shop. In fact, the majority (84%) report ordering more items online since the pandemic. 

However, over one quarter (29%) of all respondents say they have had a package stolen during the pandemic and many of those were victims of package theft for the first time. 

2020 Holiday Package Theft 

The 2020 holiday shopping season will also look a lot different compared to previous years due to COVID-19. Instead of flooding into malls and shopping centers, shoppers are turning to ecommerce, and over half (55%) plan to order more items online this holiday season compared to last year.  

Consumers should be more vigilant than ever this holiday season about protecting their deliveries. According respondents who have had a package stolen, 55% say they had a package stolen during the 2019 holiday season. Meanwhile, about half (52%) are worried about a package being stolen this holiday season, which has led to nearly half of consumers (48%) avoiding the purchase of expensive items online due to fear of those items being stolen. 

Package Theft Prevention 

This year, consumers are protecting their online orders from being stolen in several ways, including staying home for deliveries (64%) and opting for in-store pick up (24%). 

Regardless of the time of year, it’s important for consumers to take precautions and remain vigilant when ordering items online. Adding security features and staying home when deliveries arrive are some of the best ways you can prevent package theft this year and beyond. 

Methodology 

For this report, we surveyed 2,000 self-reporting online consumers who have shopped online at least once within the last 12 months via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk survey platform from November 25 to November 29, 2020. 45% were male and 55% were female with an average age of 39. 43% reported living in a suburban area, 41% in a city/urban area and 16% in a rural area. Housing: single-family detached home: 58%; single-family attached home: 11%; apartment (without doorman): 18%; Apartment with doorman: 7%; condo (without doorman): 4%; condo (with doorman): 1%; other: 1%. Note: Amazon Mechanical Turk respondents may be more likely to use Amazon services such as Amazon Prime.