Every year from October through December I get the same phone call. Someone had a package taken off their porch, they have a doorbell camera, and the video shows a hooded figure for four seconds and nothing useful. They want to know what they did wrong.
Usually nothing. A doorbell camera on its own was never going to stop it. Package theft takes about ten seconds, it happens in daylight, and the person doing it has already decided a camera does not bother them. Stopping it takes a few layers, and most of them cost nothing.
Start With the Free Fix: Don't Leave the Box There
The most reliable protection is making sure the package never sits on the porch in the first place. Before you spend a dollar on equipment, set these up:
Delivery instructions. Amazon, UPS, and FedEx all let you add a note for the driver. "Leave behind the side gate" or "place behind the planter, not on the mat" takes a minute to set and works on every delivery after that. A package that cannot be seen from the street is rarely taken.
Pickup points and lockers. For anything expensive, ship it to a locker or a carrier pickup counter and collect it on your way home. It is a small hassle for a phone or a laptop, and no hassle compared with fighting for a refund.
In-garage delivery. If you have a compatible smart garage door opener, some carriers will open the garage, set the package inside, and close it again. You get a notification both times. For people who are at work all day this is the closest thing to a complete fix.
Signature required. Ask the sender for it on anything you cannot afford to lose. The driver takes it back to the depot instead of leaving it.
Why Your Doorbell Camera Missed It
Doorbell cameras are built to show the face of someone standing at the door. Most of them look outward and slightly up, which means the doormat, where the package actually sits, is partly or completely out of frame. You get a clip of a hat brim and a hand.
Two things fix this. First, pick a doorbell with a tall, head-to-toe field of view so the ground in front of the door is in the picture. Second, do not make the doorbell do the whole job. A second camera mounted higher and off to the side, looking across the porch and down the walkway, catches the approach, the vehicle, and the direction they left. That is the footage police can actually use.
If you are planning cameras from scratch, my guide on planning camera coverage before you buy walks through where each one should point.
Deterrence Beats Recording
A camera that only records gives you a video of your package leaving. A camera that reacts can stop it from leaving. This is the difference I explain more than any other.
Active deterrence cameras detect a person, not just motion, and respond right away with a bright light, a red and blue flash, or a spoken warning. Someone walking up to grab a box and suddenly being lit up and told they are being recorded tends to turn around. Regular visitors and delivery drivers are not bothered, because you set the hours and the zones where it reacts.
Pair that with a doorbell that lets you talk through it. A live voice saying "can I help you?" from the speaker ends most attempts on the spot.
Give the Package Somewhere to Go
A lockable parcel box by the front door is simple and it works. The driver drops the package in, the lid locks, and you open it with a code or key. Bolt it down, because an unanchored box is just a bigger package to steal.
If you have a smart lock on a side gate or a porch storage door, you can go one step further and give drivers a code that only works for that one door. Through your alarm app you can see every time it is used and change it whenever you like.
If It Happens Anyway
Save the video clip straight away, before it rolls off your storage. Note the time, what was taken, and anything you can see about a vehicle. Then do three things:
Report it to the sender or carrier first. Most large retailers replace or refund a stolen package, and the claim is quicker when it is filed the same day.
File a police report. In the city that is Reno Police, and in unincorporated areas it is the Washoe County Sheriff. A single package is unlikely to get a detective, but reports are how patrol learns which streets are being hit, and you may need the report number for a card or insurance claim.
Tell your neighbors. The same person usually works a whole street. Sharing the clip gives everyone else a chance to bring their boxes in.
- Delivery instructions set with each carrier, out of sight from the street
- Expensive orders sent to a locker or pickup counter
- In-garage delivery turned on if your opener supports it
- Doorbell camera that can see the ground at the door
- A second camera covering the walkway and the street
- Active deterrence light or voice warning on the porch
- Lockable, bolted-down parcel box
- Phone alerts for a person at the door, not every passing car
Frequently Asked Questions
Do security cameras actually stop package theft? +
A camera that only records rarely stops a theft. Cameras with active deterrence, which light up and play a spoken warning when a person approaches, do turn many thieves around. The most reliable protection is combining deterrence with delivery habits that keep packages out of sight.
Why can my doorbell camera not see packages on the ground? +
Many doorbell cameras have a wide but short field of view aimed at face height, so the doormat is out of frame. Choose a doorbell with a tall head-to-toe view, or add a second camera mounted higher that looks down across the porch.
Should I report a stolen package to the police in Reno? +
Yes. File a report with Reno Police, or the Washoe County Sheriff if you live in an unincorporated area. Reports help patrol see which neighborhoods are being targeted, and you may need the report number for a retailer, card, or insurance claim.
What is the best way to receive packages when I am at work? +
Use a carrier locker or pickup counter for valuable items, turn on in-garage delivery if your garage door opener supports it, or install a lockable parcel box that is bolted down. Adding delivery instructions that keep boxes out of view from the street also helps.
When is package theft worst in Reno? +
Package theft rises with delivery volume, so the weeks from October through December are the busiest. Setting up delivery instructions and cameras before the holiday rush gives the best protection.
Related reading: Camera Installation · Plan Camera Coverage · Free Doorbell Camera · Cameras vs Alarm Systems · Reno Crime Statistics