Stop Package Theft: How Your Front Door Setup Can Help

You track the package all day. You watch it move from the warehouse to the local facility to "out for delivery." Then the photo confirmation arrives: your package, sitting in plain view on the porch, visible from the street, unattended. In the time between that delivery photo and when you get home from work or school pickup, an estimated 79,000 packages are stolen every day across the United States.

Utah's suburban neighborhoods, with their wide streets, set-back entries, and predictable daytime emptiness during school and work hours, are a comfortable hunting ground for opportunistic porch pirates. But your front door setup can change that equation entirely.

The Package Theft Problem in Utah

According to security industry data, approximately 1 in 3 Americans experienced package theft in 2025, with the average stolen package valued at $112. During the holiday season between November and January, theft rates spike by 30% to 40%.

Utah's package theft patterns follow the national trend but with local characteristics. The suburban corridors of Salt Lake County and Utah County are particularly affected because of low daytime foot traffic (most residents commute to work), long driveways that create distance between the street and the door, and a high volume of online shopping. Utah consistently ranks among the top states for e-commerce spending per household.

The good news is that porch pirates are overwhelmingly opportunistic. They cruise neighborhoods looking for visible packages, grab them, and keep moving. They avoid confrontation, avoid cameras, and avoid anything that slows them down. This means that removing the opportunity, by making packages invisible, inaccessible, or monitored, is highly effective.

Your Front Door as the First Line of Package Defense

Your front door is not just a door. When set up correctly, it becomes the central node of a package security system that includes visual deterrence, access control, and evidence recording.

A secure, well-equipped front door contributes to package security in several ways. A solid door with quality hardware projects an image of a well-secured home, which discourages theft generally. A smart lock enables controlled access for delivery drivers. A reinforced door and frame mean the security hardware is mounted on something that actually works (see our frame reinforcement guide for why this matters). And the door itself serves as the mounting point for video doorbells and other monitoring devices.

If you are planning a front door replacement, building package security into the design from the start is far easier and cheaper than retrofitting later.

Smart Locks with Delivery Access Codes

The most effective way to prevent package theft is to get the package off the porch entirely. Smart locks with guest access codes make this possible by allowing trusted delivery drivers to place packages just inside the door.

How Delivery Access Codes Work

Most smart locks with keypads, including the Yale Assure Lock 2, Schlage Encode Plus, and August Wi-Fi Smart Lock with optional keypad, support temporary access codes. You create a code that works only during a specific time window, for example 10 AM to 4 PM on the expected delivery day, and share it with the delivery driver via the delivery instructions.

When the driver arrives, they enter the code, place the package inside, and the door locks automatically behind them. You receive a notification on your phone that the code was used, and your video doorbell records the entire interaction.

Some homeowners limit the access to an enclosed porch, mudroom, or entry vestibule rather than the main living space. This provides security for the package without granting access to the full home interior.

Amazon Key and In-Garage Delivery

Amazon Key takes this concept further with an automated system. When your order is out for delivery, the Amazon driver can request a one-time unlock through the Amazon app. If you have an Amazon-compatible smart lock (the Schlage Encode and the Level Lock both support it), the lock opens remotely, the driver places the package inside, and the lock re-engages. A live camera feed is available during the delivery for real-time monitoring.

Amazon's in-garage delivery program works similarly with a smart garage controller (myQ is the most common), placing packages inside the garage instead of at the front door. This is a popular option for Utah homes with attached garages, which describes the majority of Wasatch Front homes built since the 1980s.

Security Considerations

Giving a stranger access to your home, even briefly, is a reasonable concern. Mitigate the risk with these practices. Always pair access codes with a video doorbell that records the entry and exit. Use one-time or time-limited codes, never standing codes that work indefinitely. Create codes for expected delivery days only. Review the access log in your smart lock app to confirm who used the code and when. Position your camera to capture the delivery driver's face and the package handoff.

The reality is that professional delivery drivers (UPS, FedEx, Amazon) are tracked, identified, and accountable. The risk of a delivery driver stealing from inside your home is statistically negligible compared to the certainty of packages being stolen from an unsecured porch.

Video Doorbells: Deterrence and Evidence

A video doorbell is the visible deterrent in your package security system. Research consistently shows that properties with visible security cameras experience 40% to 50% less property crime than those without.

Deterrence Effect

Porch pirates are looking for easy targets. A visible video doorbell communicates that the home is monitored, that the thief's face will be recorded, and that the homeowner will be notified in real time. Most opportunistic thieves will simply move on to a home without a camera.

The deterrent effect is so well documented that some homeowners install dummy cameras as a bluff. However, a real video doorbell provides actual functionality that a dummy does not: real-time alerts, two-way audio (you can tell the delivery driver where to leave the package or tell a suspicious person that you are watching), and recorded footage for evidence.

Top Video Doorbells for Package Security

Ring Video Doorbell 4: The most popular option with reliable motion detection, color night vision, and pre-roll video that captures motion before the button is pressed. About $200 plus a $4/month subscription for video storage.

Google Nest Doorbell (Battery): Clean design, excellent AI-based person and package detection, and 3 hours of free cloud recording. About $180. Good for Google Home households.

Arlo Essential Video Doorbell: Wide 180-degree field of view that captures your entire porch, including packages on the ground. Direct-to-Wi-Fi with no hub needed. About $150.

Placement for Package Monitoring

When replacing your front door, plan the doorbell placement to optimize package monitoring. Mount the doorbell at 48 inches from the ground, which captures both faces and packages on the ground. Angle slightly downward if your porch is deep. Ensure the field of view covers the entire area where packages are typically placed. If possible, position the doorbell where it can see both the front door area and the walkway approaching the porch.

Secure Porch Design and Package Drop Zones

Your porch layout can make packages more or less vulnerable. A few design considerations make a meaningful difference.

Visibility Management

Packages are stolen because they are visible from the street. Reducing that visibility reduces theft. Consider a porch wall or half-wall that blocks sightlines from the street, a recessed entry that tucks the door and delivery area behind the front plane of the house, strategic landscaping that screens the porch without creating hiding spots for intruders, and a covered porch that keeps packages dry and less visible from elevated angles.

Many Utah home designs, particularly the popular two-story suburban layouts in communities from Lehi to Layton, already feature a recessed front entry. This natural alcove is an asset for package security when paired with a smart lock and video doorbell.

Designated Package Drop Zone

Add a specific area for package delivery near your front door. Options include a large planter or bench that partially conceals packages, a covered basket or tote with a "deliveries here" sign, or a dedicated package shelf built into the porch wall. Clear delivery instructions in your online shopping accounts ("Leave packages behind the porch pillar on the right side of the door") guide drivers to the least visible location.

Package Lockers and Lockboxes

For homeowners who want maximum package security without granting home access, a dedicated package lockbox is an excellent option.

Smart Package Lockers

Yale Smart Delivery Box: A connected lockbox that works with the Yale app and integrates with smart home systems. The delivery driver opens it with a one-time code, places the package inside, and it locks automatically. You unlock with your phone. About $250.

Eufy SmartDrop: Similar concept with built-in camera that photographs each delivery. About $200.

BenchSentry: A porch bench that doubles as a package lockbox. Blends into your porch furniture. About $350 to $400.

Traditional Lockboxes

PackageSafe: A heavy-duty metal box with a gravity-locking lid. The delivery driver lifts the lid and drops the package in; the lid locks behind it. No electronics or batteries needed. $80 to $200 depending on size.

CleverMade Parcel LockBox: A collapsible soft-sided lockbox that expands to accept packages and locks with a combination padlock. About $50. Simple but effective.

Sizing Considerations

Choose a lockbox large enough for your typical deliveries. A box that is too small means packages still end up on the porch. For a family with frequent Amazon deliveries, a minimum interior dimension of 20 x 15 x 12 inches accommodates most standard boxes. If you regularly receive large items, consider a larger unit or a smart lock solution that places packages inside the home.

Putting It All Together: A Layered Defense

The most effective package security is layered, combining multiple strategies so that no single failure leaves your deliveries vulnerable.

Layer 1: Deterrence. A video doorbell and visible security signage discourage theft before it happens. This alone stops the majority of opportunistic porch pirates.

Layer 2: Concealment. A recessed porch, a designated drop zone behind a planter or wall, and clear delivery instructions keep packages out of sight from the street.

Layer 3: Access control. A smart lock with temporary codes allows trusted drivers to place packages inside, completely removing them from the porch.

Layer 4: Secure containment. A package lockbox or locker provides a tamper-resistant receiving point when home access is not practical.

Layer 5: Monitoring and response. Real-time notifications from your video doorbell and smart lock let you respond immediately to unexpected activity. Two-way audio lets you intervene vocally. Recorded footage provides evidence for police reports and insurance claims.

You do not need all five layers. But the more layers you implement, the closer you get to zero risk. For most Utah families, a solid front door with a smart lock (layers 1 and 3) and a video doorbell (layers 1 and 5) provide excellent protection at a total cost of $400 to $600 above the base door replacement.

When you are ready to upgrade your front door with security and smart home features built in, our comprehensive front door replacement guide walks through every decision from material selection to smart lock installation. Your door is not just an entry point. With the right setup, it is a security system, a package vault, and a smart home hub, all in one.