Amazon Package Stolen? Here are Your Next Steps
Amazon has quickly become one of the most popular and common online shopping sites. As its popularity increases, so do those who want to abuse the system. It is becoming more and more common for thieves to steal packages off porches when they see that the package hasn’t yet been collected. If this has happened to you, you may have a few questions and concerns. This article will go through your next steps on how you can both recover the purchase and find out who stole the package.
Was the Package Stolen or Lost?
The first question you need to answer is whether the package was stolen or lost. You can do this by looking into the details of the package. Within the first day or two after the expected delivery date find this information:
- Verify the shipping address
- Try to find a notice of an attempted delivery
- Call to see if someone has accepted the delivery of the package
- Check the mailbox as well as any side porches
- Ask your neighbors if they received the package instead
- Wait 36 hours
After the first 36 hours, it’s likely that the package was either lost or stolen. If the package was supposed to be delivered to the right address and no one else accepted the package for you, it’s likely that the package was stolen off the porch.
If the package was lost, contact Amazon through their online site and they will either refund the product or send you a replacement. Through the tracking number, they will be able to find the last place the package was seen. If the shipping company has lost track of the package, Amazon will be able to easily replace it for you.
The Package was Stolen. What Next?
If you can’t find any information on the package, it was most likely stolen. Here’s what should happen next:
- Go to the Amazon site and look scroll down to the bottom of the page. There should be an option that says “Help.”
- After clicking there, go to “Contact us.”
- It should bring you to a page that has several options. Choose the one that says “An Order I Placed…” then select the order that was stolen.
- Then go to “Where’s My Stuff” and select the “package was delivered but not received.”
- You can then choose to contact them through email, phone, or chat.
After you go through all of these steps, you should be able to get the product resent to your home. However, do not abuse Amazon’s generosity with resending the products. The company relies on its customers’ honesty about the situation. If people begin to abuse that trust, it’s likely that the company will have to make it harder to get the product back.
How to Prevent Stolen Packages and Find the Culprit
The best way to prevent packages from being stolen from your porch is by getting a security system. Often, having a doorbell camera is enough to catch the face of the person who stole the package. If you have a security camera that runs 24/7, you will also be able to see the face of the person committing the theft.
To find the culprit, go through the footage recorded on the cameras. If the camera caught the face of the person, you can move forward with the police. Inform the police that a package was stolen from your porch and you have it caught on your security camera. They will be able to identify the thieves and prosecute them.
There are several things you should do to avoid getting your packages stolen. When you are expecting to receive a package, leave instructions for the delivery person to leave the package tucked up against the door. This way if a theft were to happen, the motion will be close enough to the camera that the activity will be recorded and alert your phone (if you have a smart system). You might also consider leaving instructions for the packages to be left on the side porch or around the back of the home. If a package is out of sight, it most likely won’t be stolen from the home. A left usually happens when the person can easily see and steal the packages. If it’s out of sight, or hard to get to, the person won’t bother stealing it. They want to be in and out as quickly as possible.
Another great way to prevent theft at home is by putting up a sign that you have cameras on your front porch. Sometimes, the person might not see the camera and come up to the porch oblivious to the recording. However, if you have a sign that clearly announces the presence of a camera, most people will avoid walking up to your steps. The sign could be simple and say, “Security camera in use.” Or “Smile you’re on camera.” All options are good as long as it announces that the porch is under surveillance.
If you have an enclosed porch, inform the delivery person to place the package inside the porch door. When someone is passing by, they will not attempt to open the door to grab the package. Thieves only grab packages that are closer to the sidewalk and obvious.
When an Amazon package is stolen, don’t panic. Amazon will be able to send you a new package and correct the error. However, the best thing you can do is to take preventative measures to ensure you’re never a target of theft.
Contact BSG to learn more about protecting your home and family 855-MYSMARTHOME.
