Apartment communities stop package theft by closing the gap between when a carrier delivers a package and when a resident receives it. The most reliable way to prevent package theft in apartment communities is to create a secure receiving point, such as smart lockers or a locked package room, so carriers can place every delivery in an access-controlled environment instead of leaving it in a lobby or on a resident doorstep. Cameras and entry systems can help in some cases, but any package left sitting in the open is an easy target.
How common is package theft in apartment communities?
Package theft in apartment communities is unfortunately pretty common. A 2025 Vivint survey reveals that more than 1 in 3 apartment residents (37%) experienced package theft in the past year, and a 2025 Security.org report shows apartment residents experience package theft 3.5 times as often as people in single-family homes. The Vivint survey also shares that the risk of package theft in apartment communities increases around seasonal shopping events, such as Black Friday or Amazon Prime Day, where consumers order and receive more packages than usual.
Why are apartment communities a frequent target?
Population density is the key reason apartment communities are an easy target for porch pirates. A single unattended apartment community lobby can hold dozens of deliveries at once, while steady carrier traffic gives unfamiliar faces a plausible reason to be near the entrances. In garden-style communities, breezeway and doorstep drops sit in view of anyone walking the property. Buildings without staffed front desks have no one positioned to notice a stranger leaving with a box (or several), and even staffed properties can lose coverage on evenings and weekends, when staff are home for the day even as deliveries keep arriving.
What actually prevents package theft?
Only physical security measures remove the opportunity for theft. Solutions that control access to deliveries, like smart package lockers or package rooms, paired with access control measures ensure every package is protected and that chain of custody is tracked for all deliveries.
Meanwhile, surveillance tools like CCTV cameras and video doorbells help to document incidents and provide supporting evidence after the fact. Package delivery policies only decide how consistently any measure applies across the property.
Do smart lockers eliminate package theft?
Smart lockers eliminate package theft for every package that goes into a locker compartment, since theft requires access to packages and a locked door removes it. Parcel Pending by Quadient’s locker systems generate a unique pickup code tied to one recipient and automatically notify the resident the moment a package is secured in a locker compartment – a chain-of-custody standard that doorstep delivery does not offer.
Frequently asked questions
Are package lockers or cameras better for stopping theft?
Package lockers are better for stopping theft because lockers actually prevent theft while cameras only document it. Communities that successfully stop package theft tend to use secure package lockers as their primary prevention measure and cameras as their accountability tool.
Does package theft go down when a property installs lockers?
Yes, properties that install package lockers see significant reductions or total elimination of package theft. This is because each item sits behind an individually locked door until the recipient opens it.
Is package theft a felony?
It depends on the state. According to SafeWise’s research, eleven states and the District of Columbia have laws that specifically address package theft, most of which elevate it to a felony; several more states have bills that would make package theft a felony under consideration.
What should a resident do when a package is stolen?
If a resident has a package stolen, they should report it to the carrier and the retailer first, since most replacements come through them (usually the retailer). Residents may also want to notify property management and file a police report, especially for higher-value items. If residents report repeated thefts, property managers may want to consider making an additional investment in property security measures.