Smart & Secure: Top Ways to Keep Your Packages Safe from Theft
July 24, 2025
In a 2024 report by Lombardo Homes, 45% of Americans reported having a package stolen. This percentage is up from the 34% who reported having a package stolen in their 2023 report. Many residents and tenants don’t feel safe ordering packages to their homes for fear of package thieves, known as “porch pirates”. This is particularly true in urban and suburban neighborhoods.
It is striking how common porch piracy has become, with nearly half of Americans having suffered through it. It’s extremely frustrating to arrive home from work expecting a package on your porch or in your building’s lobby, only to find nothing. You spent your hard-earned cash on that item and deserve to have it delivered safely. You may be wondering if there’s anything you can do to keep from becoming a victim of this crime (if you haven’t already).
Proactive measures are the key to peace of mind. One of the most effective solutions? Secure parcel lockers like those offered by Salsbury Industries.
Why Package Theft is on the Rise
According to Security.org’s 2024 Package Theft Annual Report and Statistics, porch pirates stole at least 58 million Americans’ packages valued at $12 billion last year. The average value of stolen packages was $204.
Part of why package theft is on the rise is the increase in packages to be delivered. Online shopping is so convenient that many shoppers opt for it instead of visiting physical stores. This leads to packages often being left unattended outside houses or apartment buildings.
Porch pirates’ tactics have also been evolving. They sometimes impersonate delivery personnel and use online tracking and stolen information to target their victims. They can swap fake packages for the real ones, making their crime harder to detect. The fact that no one is usually around to witness these crimes gives porch pirates a lack of accountability, making it difficult to track the thieves down.
Common Methods People Use—and Their Drawbacks
People make attempts to be proactive regarding package theft, but they are often unsuccessful. Here are some of the common methods people use:
• Having packages delivered to work. This seems like an easy solution if packages are being stolen from your home. But it may not be allowed at your office, and even if it is, the arrival of packages could interrupt your workday.
• Relying on neighbors or friends. Asking a friend or neighbor you trust to look out for your package can be a fine way to avoid porch piracy. But it can be inconsistent since there’s no guarantee that a friend or neighbor will be around when your package arrives. They are also only human and might forget.
• Using home security cameras. Home security cameras record theft but don’t prevent it. They can give you a visual of the package thief, but that will not actually reveal the identity of the thief or prevent the theft from happening.
• Delivery instructions. You can leave delivery instructions for the courier on your house or apartment building door in an attempt to ensure that your package is delivered safely. But these instructions are easily ignored by couriers, and there’s a good chance your package will still be left outside or in your building’s lobby, where anyone could steal it.
Smarter Solutions That Actually Work
If you’re concerned that there are so many common methods to prevent package theft that prove unsuccessful, you don’t need to worry. There are definitely long-term, preventative strategies that you can use to safeguard yourself from porch piracy. In order to keep your packages safe, it’s necessary to implement secure, reliable, and independent systems. That way, you won’t have to rely on others to ensure the safety of your packages.
In the next section, we’ll discuss a fantastic method to avoid porch piracy.
The Game-Changer—Salsbury Parcel Lockers
Salsbury parcel lockers take the weight off your shoulders when it comes to worrying about your packages potentially being stolen. They offer a secure place for the mail carrier to store your packages until you are ready to retrieve them.
What Are Parcel Lockers?
A parcel locker is a lockable compartment designed to hold packages that won’t fit in a standard mailbox compartment. They can be independent structures or built into cluster box units and 4C mailboxes. A USPS standard 4C requires a minimum of one parcel locker for every five tenant compartments.
When a U.S. postal mail carrier can’t fit a package into a standard mailbox compartment, they will place your package in a parcel locker. The carrier will leave a key to that parcel locker in your mailbox. To retrieve your package, you simply need to use the key the mail carrier left in your mailbox to unlock the parcel locker. The key will have a tag that indicates which locker contains your package. Once you have unlocked the parcel locker and gotten your package, the key capture system will secure the parcel locker key in place so that it can’t be removed.
Parcel lockers provide a secure and convenient way to protect your packages. Whether you live in a residential neighborhood or are purchasing mailboxes for your commercial or multi-family community, Salsbury Industries will have just what you’re looking for.
Why Salsbury?
Salsbury Industries is a trusted brand with durable, weather-resistant lockers that will keep your packages safe from damage. It offers options for indoor and outdoor use. You won’t need to worry about anyone breaking into a Salsbury locker—our lockers include strong, sturdy locking systems that prevent unauthorized access. We also provide customizable and ADA-compliant solutions to fit any unique requirements you may have.
Real-World Benefits
There are plenty of real-world benefits to Salsbury parcel lockers that will help to keep your packages safe. One is that our lockers act as a deterrent to thieves. Criminals will see the sturdy parcel locker and strong lock and realize that they won’t be able to break into it, so they leave without even trying.
Parcel lockers are also very convenient. You have 24/7 access and there’s no need to coordinate deliveries with windows when you’ll be home.
Salsbury parcel lockers are attractive as well and offer curb appeal. They will add structure and security to your home/community.
What to Look for When Choosing a Parcel Locker
There are many factors to keep in mind when choosing a parcel locker. Here are some of them:
• Size and volume considerations.. Choosing the right size and volume options for your community is an important decision. You may want to select various sizes and volumes to accommodate packages of different sizes.
• Weather resistance and materials.. Depending on where you live, weather resistance and materials may vary in importance. Salsbury mailboxes and parcel lockers are made of heavy-duty materials, so you won’t have to worry, no matter what.
• Locking mechanisms.. To keep your packages safe, Salsbury Industries ensures high quality locks are installed on each unit.
• Aesthetics and space.. When choosing parcel lockers, you should be aware of how the look of the lockers fits in with your space. Salsbury Industries carries attractive parcel lockers in many colors that are sure to suit the aesthetics of your community.
Other Pro Tips for Package Safety
Here are some other tips for package safety:
• Use tracking tools and notifications.. Tracking tools and notifications will help you to be sure that you will be at home to receive your package when it arrives.
• Schedule deliveries when you’re home.. Another way to ensure that you’ll be present when your package comes is to schedule deliveries when you know you’ll be home.
• Require signatures or pickup options.. If you require a signature to receive your package, it is less likely that a package thief will be able to steal it. Choosing to pick up your package from the post office or other delivery pickup location is another option to avoid porch piracy.
• Use delivery boxes or lockable bins.. As a secondary option, you can use delivery boxes or lockable bins to keep your packages safe.
Take Control of Your Deliveries
With the rise in porch piracy, it’s understandable to be concerned about how to keep your packages safe. But while package theft is common, with Salsbury parcel lockers, it is also preventable.
Salsbury’s parcel lockers today and never stress about stolen packages again.