Every year around the holidays, CNET conducts a large-scale package theft survey to determine how many Americans say they are affected by porch pirates and how much they stand to lose from this activity. Our latest survey found that around 30% of respondents said they have had a package stolen, almost stolen or know someone who has experienced this. That’s a significant risk, especially during the holidays, but we have the tech and knowhow to stop it.
Porch piracy has become a common tactic for burglars in recent years. Put yourself in the mind of a criminal and you’ll see porch packages are easy targets. It’s much faster and much lower risk for the thief. We’re even seeing claims of thieves using Wi-Fi jamming devices that may interfere with video doorbells sending footage.
If we learned anything from last year’s survey, it’s that 71% of US adults chose to take action to prevent package theft, including 28% of Americans who didn’t plan on leaving their home unattended for more than a few hours to avoid it. But that’s a tough ask for the average busy adult during this season.
In 12-plus years working with home security devices, I’ve been paying attention to advances in home security tech and how it can help you defend against package theft and other security harms.
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Key takeaways
- The estimated mean value of packages that will be delivered to an individual’s home or someone else’s address this holiday season is $300.06 per US adult, an $8.68 increase over 2024 findings.
- Gen X and Boomers account for the highest expected value of delivered packages.
- Over one in five (21%) US adults know someone who has had a package stolen.
- One in seven (14%) US adults have had a package stolen in the past year.
- One in 10 US adults have had a package stolen that was meant for themselves or their household, while 7% have had a package stolen containing a gift.
Holiday packages are worth more than ever this year.
Package theft by the numbers
Slightly over one in five (21%) of American adults who responded to CNET’s survey said they knew someone who had a package stolen, while 5% reported they had discovered and disrupted an attempted package theft themselves. In 2025, 7% of those surveyed said they had a package stolen that was a gift for someone.
One notable change saw 14% of adults said they had a package of their own stolen in the past year, down three points from our 2024 study. We saw slight drops in both high-value (more than $200) and low-value (less than $200) items stolen. I’ve seen government studies show similar drops in other property theft, caused in large part to the adoption of more home security technology, which acts as a deterrent, especially when embraced en masse.
My best advice on how to stop package theft
Prevention is always the best course of action. Stopping porch pirates before they strike is ideal. Today, there are several types of high-tech tools to help busy homeowners who may not have the time to wait by their door for an expected delivery. Plus, some can also help protect your deliveries from the weather or keep your home safe in other ways.
My favorites include:
Track your packages carefully online
CNET surveys have found that many American adults plan to use package tracking in an effort to cut down on theft. It’s a smart idea because even basic online tracking can give you an idea of when packages are going to arrive.
Sign up for email alerts and you can get a message about exactly when the package is dropped off. That makes it much easier to plan a quick trip home on your lunch break, or a text to your neighbor (which 18% of our respondents said they would try) to ensure the package is taken care of.
Try to act quickly if you’re relying on tracking. In the past, there have been data breaches where thieves stole carrier information so they could also receive alerts about package drop-offs and swoop in right after to steal them. I haven’t seen data on this yet this year, but it’s a possibility now that it’s been proven to work.
Use a video doorbell
Video doorbells perch beside your door and watch for visitors and packages. My favorite standby, the Nest Doorbell, gives me automatic alerts when it recognizes a person carrying a package, as well as when a package suddenly disappears (and free, because those features don’t require a subscription).
These doorbell cams not only keep an eye on packages and alert you about drop-offs, they also have two-way audio features so if you see a stranger approaching after you get a package, you can hop onto the app and shout at them if you want. Fortunately, video doorbells themselves (anywhere from $50 to $200) can act as a deterrent if package thieves see them and know they’re being recorded.
Oh, and if you’re worried about the Wi-Fi jammers I mentioned above, it’s not really a concern with modern security systems. Today’s cameras and systems can detect jamming and send you alerts and/or immediately switch to cellular signals. Plus, jammers rarely work in time to block all video, so you usually get some footage of a suspect. No Wi-Fi jammer can force open a smart lock, either.
It’s no surprise we’re shipping more valuable packages these days but we also have more ways to protect them.
Use a delivery box
What if porch pirates don’t see or care about security cameras like video doorbells? If you’re especially concerned about package theft or you know it’s happened in your area before, I recommend investing in something like a delivery box instead. These package boxes are durable, permanent porch upgrades that typically cost about $200, depending on features.
I’ve tested these modern delivery boxes, including smart versions that connect to apps for remote monitoring and control. Delivery people are getting better about using them, and they’re designed so porch pirates can’t access the packages or carry the box away.
The biggest issue is that they are too small for the largest packages, so they work best for smaller electronics — which, as CNET’s smart home guy, I get a lot of, and use a delivery box to help protect them not only from theft but from bad weather.
Arrange for in-garage drop-offs
If you don’t like the vibe of a delivery box, there’s another option that could work for your home: Certain delivery services offer in-garage drop offs so your package stays protected and is easy to pick up. The best example is the Amazon Key service, which works with smart garage doors like those from MyQ and Genie. That way, delivery people get quick, one-time access to your garage without getting any codes or repeatable keys.
Amazon’s garage delivery requires a Prime subscription, but other options like Walmart’s in-home deliveries may not cost extra.
Don’t drop off pricey packages at home
You don’t have to get packages delivered to your home at all if you’re worried about theft. Most delivery options will have a choice to deliver to a nearby shipping store if you prefer, so you can pick them up after work or when it’s convenient.
If you’re not sure if this will work, contact your local shipping stores like UPS and ask about its policy on getting packages delivered there. When needed, the post office will also be able to help, although there are a dozen shipping stores closer to me than the post office, so I personally prefer the store option.
For more info on keeping your home safe these holidays, take a look at my top tips to stop trespassers, learn when burglars are most likely to strike and see how outdoor security cameras can keep watch on your property.
What to do if your package is stolen
Many doorbells and cams, like Nest’s, allow you to immediately review and download video footage.
Stopping package theft before it happens is the best practice, but what happens if you can’t stop a porch pirate in time? I suggest taking action with alternative steps like these:
- First, an action you shouldn’t take: Don’t try chasing after a package thief, even if it just happened.
- If you have a video doorbell or security camera that captured the theft, review the footage and download it, labeling the video file clearly with the action and date.
- Contact your local police department and see if there’s an easy way to file a police report online, where you will be able to upload your saved videos of the theft. Police won’t often act on a single porch theft, but if there’s accumulated evidence of multiple thefts in an area they may launch an investigation.
- Go to your merchant’s online store and look for an option to report the package was not delivered or was stolen. Amazon, for example, has a status report option, or lets you report a theft in their support chat with the option to get more help.
- You can also contact the carrier (that is, the company that made the delivery) and let them know that the package was stolen. Most shipping companies have a claims center where you can start a claim for a stolen delivery.
Will you get a replacement order? Time will tell: Generally, your merchant and carrier will want to wait a while — up to a few weeks — before they count the package as officially lost and put alternative actions (like refunding your card) in motion. Stay patient and prepare accordingly if it was a gift.
Methodology
CNET commissioned YouGov Plc to conduct the survey. All reported results, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,569 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken Oct. 14-16, 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18 plus).