When your package isn’t there when you get home on the day it should be delivered, it can be simple to become panicked right away. You may wonder do police investigate stolen packages. The police will investigate a missing parcel. The stolen package must be reported to the police.
These days, package theft is a common occurrence. To learn what to do if packages are stolen, continue reading.
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Do Police Investigate Stolen Packages?
Package theft, regrettably, happens frequently. The likelihood of packages being stolen is rising, especially as more and more people start having items delivered to their homes. But you can report package theft in a number of ways, one of which is by making a police report.
The police do investigate stolen packages, but whether or not police aid will be helpful can vary from case to case. In other words, it could be difficult for them to find and recover your package if you don’t provide them with any information to work with, such as security camera footage.
What to Do If Your Package Was Stolen
Okay, so despite your best efforts to find your package by searching carefully and asking around, you haven’t found it. Therefore, it is time to proceed as though your package has been stolen. Your package may have been stolen by a neighbor, according to your suspicions, or there may have been a number of package thefts in your neighborhood, leading you to believe that your package has also been stolen.
So what do you do now?
Contact the Sender
Make contact with the package’s sender as soon as possible. If the package was purchased from a retailer, there is typically a good chance that they will collaborate with you to find a solution. Typically, this entails replacing the order or issuing a refund. Some retailers might start corresponding with the delivery service right away on your behalf.
But what if the package was sent by a relative or friend? Unfortunately, in this situation, all you can really do is inform the sender that you weren’t able to receive the package. Verify that the package’s address is as it should be by checking it. If you report the theft, the police might be able to assist you in locating the package.
Report the Theft to the Shipping Company
The procedures used by each shipping company to deal with package theft are different. For instance, USPS has the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which deals with mail theft cases. Depending on the shipping company, you might need to divulge more or less information about the theft.
USPS (United States Postal Service)
You need to submit a help request or report mail theft to USPIS if USPS delivered your package.
UPS (United Parcel Service)
If UPS delivered your package, you would have to make a missing package claim. Keep in mind that you cannot submit this claim until 24 hours have passed since the scheduled delivery time.
Fedex
You could submit a lost package claim if FedEx delivered your package. Typically, these claims will be resolved in 5-7 business days.
File a Police Report
In case any packages go missing, you can also call the police. The police might not be able to do much about this if you don’t have a doorbell or outdoor security camera, but if you do, it can be very effective. Nevertheless, the police are more likely to intervene if several packages in your neighborhood have been stolen than if only one has been lost.
Read More: What To Do If Amazon Package Is Stolen?
How to Report My Package as Stolen?
In the first instance, you should always notify the seller of a lost package in case they can offer replacements or additional information on its whereabouts. You usually won’t need to call the police in the event of a missing package because the seller will almost always find a solution.
If it turns out that the package was stolen by porch pirates, you should contact the police and get an incident report, which will support any insurance claims you make. The kind of shipping you received and the seller or business’s policies will determine the insurance payouts and refunds.
Final Words: Do Police Investigate Stolen Packages
Thefts of packages are unsettling, frightening, and regrettably common. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do once you’ve contacted the appropriate parties, including the sender, shipping company, and police if you so choose.
If there have been package thefts in your neighborhood recently, there is a higher likelihood that the cops will investigate the situation.
Because there is not enough information available, police investigations sadly do not successfully apprehend many package thieves.
Also Read: Will Amazon Replace Stolen Packages?
FAQs
Do Mail Thieves Get Caught?
Do Mail Thieves Get Caught?
A suspect would typically need to be directly connected to the crime—being caught on camera isn’t even always enough proof—as well as be found to be in possession of the items in question in order to be apprehended and charged with mail theft.
Who is Responsible for Stolen Packages?
The Seller, the Delivery Company, and the Buyer are the three main parties involved in getting a package to a customer. Unfortunately, there are no specific laws that place responsibility on one party if the package cannot be retrieved.
Where Do Packages Get Stolen the Most?
Package theft was more common in multifamily dwellings than single-family homes, as well as in urban areas (16 percent) than in suburban (9 percent) and rural areas (8 percent).
