Package Stolen? What to Do Next: 7 Steps to Take Now

If a package is missing, don’t immediately assume it was stolen.

First verify the delivery and preserve the available evidence. If the package still cannot be located, contact the seller or retailer, use the appropriate carrier process, report suspected theft when warranted, and consider payment protections only if the problem remains unresolved.

The steps below will help you work through the problem in the right order.

Important: This guide is general consumer information for U.S. residents, not legal advice. Retailer policies, carrier rules, payment protections, insurance coverage, and police-reporting procedures vary.

First: Is the Package Actually Stolen?

A tracking status that says Delivered does not automatically mean the package was stolen.

Before reporting a theft, determine which situation best describes what happened:

Delayed: The carrier has not actually recorded a completed delivery, or the package is still in transit.
Marked delivered but not located: The carrier says it was delivered, but you have not yet determined where it went.
Possibly misdelivered: The delivery photo, address, location, or other evidence suggests it was delivered somewhere else.
Likely stolen: Delivery appears legitimate and evidence indicates the package disappeared after it was delivered.

If your package says delivered but you still cannot find it, start with our Package Says Delivered but It’s Not Here? What to Do Next guide.

Step 1 — Verify the Delivery

Before treating the package as stolen, open the order and carrier tracking information and verify the basic delivery details.

Check:

The delivery date and time
The delivery address on the order
The carrier’s reported delivery location
Any delivery photograph
Any signature or recipient information
Your front porch and front door
Side and rear entrances
Garage or garage-door area
Mailbox or mail area
Parcel locker or package delivery box
Behind furniture, planters, columns, railings, or other sheltered areas
Other members of your household
A trusted neighbor who may have accepted the package
Reception, concierge, mailroom, or building management if you live in an apartment or condominium

Look Closely at the Delivery Photo

If a delivery photograph is available, compare it carefully with your property. Look at the door, steps, siding, doormat, plants, house numbers, railings, and other identifying details.

Does the photograph actually show your home or building?

If it does not, save the photograph. It may be useful evidence that the package was delivered to the wrong location rather than stolen from your property.

Do not report a package as stolen until you have made a reasonable effort to verify that it was actually delivered to the correct location.

Step 2 — Preserve the Evidence

If the package is still missing, save the information connected with the delivery before tracking details, camera recordings, or other evidence become harder to retrieve.

Save or screenshot:

The order confirmation
The purchase price
A description of the item
The seller or retailer name
The tracking number
The carrier name
The complete tracking history
The delivered status, date, and time
Any delivery photograph
The reported delivery location
Any signature or recipient information
Messages or emails from the seller or carrier

Save Camera Footage Before It Is Deleted

If you have a video doorbell or security camera, save the relevant footage as soon as possible. Depending on your camera system and subscription, older recordings may eventually be deleted or overwritten.

When possible, preserve footage covering time before and after the recorded delivery time. This may help establish both whether the delivery occurred and what happened afterward.

Save the original video clip when possible
Preserve the date and timestamp
Save footage from more than one camera if available
Ask a neighbor or building manager to preserve relevant footage if their cameras may have captured the area
Keep an original copy before editing, trimming, or sharing the footage

Do not chase, confront, threaten, or attempt to physically detain someone you believe took the package. The purpose of camera footage is to document what happened and support a retailer, carrier, insurance, or police report when appropriate.

For High-Value or Identifiable Items

If the missing package contained electronics or another item with unique identifying information, save any details you already have, including:

Serial number
Model number
IMEI or other device identifier
Color, size, or configuration
Receipt or invoice
Other distinguishing characteristics

Keep this information together with your tracking screenshots, delivery photo, and camera footage so you have one complete record of the incident.

Step 3 — Contact the Seller or Retailer

Once you have verified the delivery information and preserved the evidence, contact the seller or retailer. For many consumer purchases, this is the most practical first contact because the seller controls the order and may have a missing-package, refund, or replacement process.

Have the following information ready:

Order number
Tracking number
Delivery date and time
Description and value of the item
Locations you already checked
Whether a delivery photograph exists
Whether the delivery photograph matches your property
Whether anyone in your household received the package
Whether relevant camera footage exists

Keep your description factual. For example:

“Tracking shows the package as delivered. I checked the delivery area, other entrances, household members, and other reasonable locations and cannot locate it. I have saved the tracking information and delivery photo. What is the next step under your missing-delivery policy?”

Ask the seller or retailer:

What is the next step in your missing-package process?
Do you need additional documentation?
Will you contact the carrier?
Should I also contact the carrier directly?
What is my case or reference number?
Are there deadlines I need to meet?

Do not assume every retailer automatically owes a refund or replacement. Policies, shipping arrangements, marketplace rules, and the facts surrounding the delivery can differ.

What About Amazon?

If an Amazon order shows as delivered but cannot be found, first review the tracking information, delivery location, and delivery photograph if one is available. Also check whether someone else accepted the package.

Amazon procedures can differ depending on whether the order was sold or fulfilled by Amazon, shipped through Amazon Shipping, or sold and shipped by a third-party seller. If the package remains missing after completing the recommended verification steps, follow the support process shown for that specific order.

Avoid assuming that Amazon automatically replaces every stolen package. Eligibility for a refund, replacement, or marketplace protection depends on the circumstances and applicable policy.

Step 4 — Contact the Carrier When Appropriate

Sometimes the retailer will handle the carrier investigation. In other cases, the recipient may need to report the missing package or begin a claim.

Keep your tracking number, order documentation, item description, and any delivery evidence available before contacting the carrier.

UPS

If UPS tracking says the package was delivered but you cannot find it, check exterior doors, porches, patios, garages, and anyone who may have accepted the package on your behalf.

If it is still missing, UPS provides a claims process for lost packages. Depending on how the shipment was sent, a recipient may be able to begin the process, or the shipper may need to participate.

Start the process promptly rather than waiting unnecessarily. Keep the tracking number and proof of the item’s value available.

FedEx

If FedEx shows the package as delivered, check picture proof of delivery when available and make sure you have checked the possible delivery locations.

FedEx currently provides a missing-package reporting process from the tracking page. Customers can enter the tracking number, choose Manage Delivery, and then select Report Missing Package when that option is available.

Save the case number you receive.

USPS

If USPS tracking shows Delivered but you cannot locate the package, check the mailbox, parcel locker, exterior doors, garage, protected locations around the property, household members, and apartment or condominium management where applicable.

USPS provides separate processes for tracking-status problems, service requests, Missing Mail searches, and eligible insurance claims. Which process applies depends on the package and how long it has been missing.

If the package appears to have been stolen after delivery, suspected theft involving the U.S. Mail can also be reported to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

Step 5 — Decide Whether to Report the Theft

After reasonable delivery problems and misdelivery possibilities have been checked, consider whether the evidence now indicates an actual theft.

A police report may be useful when:

Camera footage shows someone taking the package
Other evidence strongly indicates theft
The package contained a high-value item
You have experienced repeated package theft
Several neighbors were affected
A seller, carrier, insurer, or payment provider requests a report
The package contained sensitive records or personal information

Police-reporting procedures differ by jurisdiction. Some departments accept certain theft reports online, while others require a phone call or in-person report.

Have the following information ready:

Your name and delivery address
Approximate date and time of the suspected theft
Package description
Contents and approximate value
Order confirmation or receipt
Tracking information
Delivery photograph
Security-camera or video-doorbell footage
Seller or carrier case numbers
Suspect or vehicle details only if they are actually visible or known

Be accurate about what you know and what you only suspect. If the package is simply missing and the delivery has not been verified, describe it that way rather than stating as fact that it was stolen.

If a theft or other crime is actively occurring or someone is in immediate danger, contact emergency services. Do not confront the suspected thief.

USPS Mail or Package Theft

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service accepts reports of suspected mail theft and other mail-related crimes. This may be appropriate when a package handled through the U.S. Mail appears to have been stolen.

Step 6 — Check Payment or Purchase Protections if the Problem Is Still Unresolved

If the retailer and carrier processes do not resolve the problem, check the protections associated with the payment method you used.

Start with the seller or retailer first. If the issue remains unresolved, contact your credit-card issuer or other payment provider and ask what protections may apply.

Possible options can include:

A billing dispute in an eligible situation
A chargeback process
Separate credit-card purchase-protection benefits
Other protections associated with the payment method

Coverage, deadlines, exclusions, documentation requirements, and eligibility vary.

There is also an important difference between:

An item that was never delivered
An item that was properly delivered and then stolen

Describe what happened accurately when speaking with a card issuer or payment provider. Do not claim that a correctly delivered package was never delivered if the available evidence shows otherwise.

Ask:

Does my account include purchase protection for theft?
Does this situation qualify for a billing dispute?
What documentation do you need?
What filing deadlines apply?

Special Situations

Apartment or Condominium

In a multi-unit building, check more than your individual doorway.

Package room
Mailroom
Front desk or concierge
Leasing or management office
Parcel locker
Building package logs
Management notifications
Building security cameras

If building cameras may contain useful footage, ask management to preserve it before it is automatically overwritten.

Gated Community

If your property has controlled access, determine whether the carrier entered the community and whether the delivery location shown in tracking matches your residence. Management, gate records, or community camera footage may help distinguish a delivery error from a theft.

Package Locker

If tracking says the package was delivered to a locker, verify the locker number, pickup code, access notification, and whether another household member retrieved it.

If the assigned locker is empty or the access information does not work, contact the retailer, carrier, building management, or locker operator associated with the delivery.

Delivered to a Neighbor

A package left with a neighbor is not automatically stolen. Check the delivery information and determine whether a neighbor accepted the package on your behalf before filing a theft report.

High-Value Items

For expensive electronics, jewelry, equipment, or other high-value purchases, preserve serial numbers, model numbers, receipts, signatures, delivery photographs, and video evidence when available.

For future high-value deliveries, consider whether signature-required delivery or a secure pickup option would be more appropriate.

Medication or Medical Supplies

If a missing package contains medication or important medical supplies, contact the pharmacy, healthcare provider, or medical supplier promptly. Replacement procedures can vary, particularly for prescription medications.

If the missing item creates an urgent health concern, contact an appropriate healthcare professional rather than waiting solely for a shipping claim to be resolved.

Items Containing Sensitive Personal Information

If the missing package contained financial records, tax documents, identification information, account information, health-insurance information, or other sensitive personal data, treat the situation as more than a property loss.

Consider whether you need to monitor financial accounts, change affected credentials, place a fraud alert or credit freeze, or take other identity-theft precautions depending on what information was exposed.

Repeated Package Theft

If packages repeatedly disappear from your property or neighborhood, document each incident. Preserve dates, times, tracking records, photographs, video, police-report numbers, and other evidence.

A pattern of incidents can also help you identify what part of your delivery setup needs to change.

Step 7 — Prevent the Next Package Theft

Once you have handled the immediate problem, ask a different question:

What made this delivery vulnerable?

Was the package:

Visible from the street?
Left unattended for several hours?
Delivered somewhere different from your instructions?
Outside your camera’s field of view?
Delivered to an area with poor nighttime visibility?
Too large for your normal secure delivery location?
Delivered when nobody was available to retrieve it?

Fixing the weakness that actually contributed to the problem is more useful than simply adding security products without a plan.

Reduce the Time Packages Sit Outside

Turn on delivery notifications and retrieve packages promptly whenever possible. Coordinate with other household members when you know an important delivery is coming.

Create a Better Delivery Location

If your property allows it, establish a package location that is convenient for the driver but less visible from the street.

Improve Delivery Instructions

Use clear delivery instructions when the retailer or carrier allows them. A delivery sign or decal may also help reinforce where you want packages placed when appropriate.

Improve Camera Coverage

A video doorbell or security camera is most useful when it covers the area where packages are actually left. Review the field of view, detection area, nighttime visibility, and recording settings.

See our Best Smart Doorbells for Package Theft guide and Security Cameras for Porch Protection resource for additional options.

Consider a Package Box or Lockbox

A package box can add a physical layer of protection rather than only recording what happens after a package arrives.

See our Package Lock Boxes for Deliveries guide.

Improve Porch and Entry Lighting

Useful lighting can improve visibility for residents, visitors, delivery drivers, and security cameras after dark.

Use Secure Pickup Options for Higher-Risk Deliveries

Depending on the carrier and shipment, options may be available to hold a package for pickup or redirect it to an authorized pickup location. These options can be especially useful for expensive packages or deliveries expected when nobody will be home.

For more ideas, see How to Prevent Package Theft: 12 Practical Ways to Protect Deliveries.

You’ve Handled Today’s Package. Now Find the Weak Point Before the Next Delivery.

A stolen or missing package can reveal a weakness in the way deliveries reach your home.

Our free 15-Minute Porch & Package Security Checkup walks you through your actual delivery area and helps you identify vulnerabilities involving package visibility, delivery location, camera coverage, notifications, lighting, and other layers of protection.

Take the Free 15-Minute Porch & Package Security Checkup

Want the 2-Page Checklist?

If you’re dealing with a missing or stolen package, you don’t have to remember every step on this page.

Download the free Stolen Package Action Plan — a printable 2-page checklist covering what to verify, what evidence to save, who to contact, when to report suspected theft, and what to do next.

Get the Free Stolen Package Action Plan

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do first if my package was stolen?

First verify that the package was actually delivered and is not at another entrance, with a household member or neighbor, in a parcel locker, mailroom, package box, or concealed delivery location. If it is still missing, preserve the tracking information, delivery photograph, and any camera footage before contacting the seller.

Who is responsible for a stolen package?

There is no single answer that applies to every purchase. Available remedies can depend on the seller’s terms, marketplace policies, carrier service, shipping arrangements, delivery facts, insurance, and payment protections. A practical first step is usually to contact the seller or retailer and then follow the appropriate carrier process if needed.

Should I file a police report for a stolen package?

Consider filing a report when the available evidence reasonably indicates theft, particularly if camera footage documents the incident, the item was valuable, theft has happened repeatedly, several neighbors were affected, or a retailer, carrier, insurer, or payment provider requests a report. Local procedures vary.

Will Amazon replace a stolen package?

Amazon has processes for missing deliveries, but a refund or replacement is not guaranteed in every situation. The procedure can also differ depending on who sold, fulfilled, and delivered the order. Check the support options associated with the specific order.

What if UPS says my package was delivered but I don’t have it?

Check alternate delivery locations, exterior doors, porches, patios, garages, household members, and neighbors first. If the package remains missing, use the UPS missing-package or claims process promptly. Depending on the shipment, the shipper may need to participate.

What if FedEx says my package was delivered but I can’t find it?

Check picture proof of delivery when available and inspect the possible delivery locations. FedEx currently allows eligible missing packages to be reported from the tracking page by selecting Manage Delivery and then Report Missing Package.

What if USPS says my package was delivered but it isn’t there?

Check your mailbox, parcel locker, exterior doors, garage, protected delivery locations, household members, and building management where applicable. If it remains missing, follow the USPS tracking-status and missing-mail guidance appropriate to the shipment.

Can I dispute a stolen package with my credit card?

Possibly, depending on the circumstances and your card’s terms. Contact the seller first. If the issue remains unresolved, ask the card issuer whether your situation qualifies for a billing dispute or separate purchase-protection benefit. Be accurate about whether the item was never delivered or was delivered and later stolen.

Can doorbell-camera footage help?

Yes. Save relevant footage promptly and preserve footage from shortly before and after the delivery. Keep timestamps and an original copy when possible. Video may help establish whether a package was delivered, misdelivered, or taken afterward.

Should I post video of a suspected package thief on social media?

Preserve the original evidence first. Consider whether the footage may be needed by the retailer, carrier, building management, insurer, or police before publicly distributing video that may contain faces, addresses, license plates, or other identifying information.

How can I prevent another package from being stolen?

Reduce the amount of time packages sit unattended, improve delivery instructions and package placement, use delivery alerts, cover the actual delivery area with cameras when appropriate, improve lighting, consider secure package storage, and use carrier pickup or hold options for higher-risk deliveries.

Official Resources Used to Review This Guide

Carrier, retailer, and payment policies can change. For the most current instructions, check the official resources that apply to your situation:

Last reviewed: September 10, 2026.

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