Attorney Thomas Simeone has over 20 years of legal experience and is a trusted source for information on legal matters, including those involving packages stolen from your front porch. In a recent article published by Opploans®, Thomas discusses this topic in detail. Keep reading to learn more or view the original post here.
What to Do if Your Package Was Stolen
According to Statista, nearly 40% of Americans regularly purchase items online. These items are typically delivered to the consumer’s residence and left on the front porch if no one is home. This makes it easy for someone to “casually” walk by and steal unattended packages. According to reports, around 30% of people have had a package stolen from their homes.
If a package was stolen from your front porch, you can take legal action to recover your losses. Keep reading for tips from Thomas Simeone.
- Verify the Package Was Sent out for Delivery Properly: First and foremost, make sure the package was sent out by the seller. You can verify by checking with the seller to confirm that the shipping was not delayed and the product was sent to the correct address.
- Check the Area and Confirm with Your Neighbors: If you receive confirmation of delivery, check the surrounding area to make sure the delivery driver did not hide the package behind porch furniture or at a different door. You should also check with neighbors to see if they picked up the package on your behalf.
- Contact the Shipping Company: Call the shipping company to verify the package was delivered. Even if you received a confirmation email, the item might not have been dropped off at your home yet. The shipping company can provide you with more accurate tracking information.
- File a Claim: If you have received delivery confirmation, checked the surrounding area, and contacted the shipping company to confirm your package was delivered, you may begin a claims process with either the seller, the delivery company, or your homeowner’s insurance company. In the OppsLoan article, Attorney Simeone recommends filing a police report as part of this process, as some insurance companies may require one when you file your claim.
The first company you should attempt to file a claim with is the seller. They may have policies in place to issue you a refund or a replacement item.
However, if the seller refuses to reimburse you for the stolen item or needs a record of your attempts to resolve the matter with the shipping company, contact the delivery company to file a missing package claim.
Simeone also recommends contacting your credit card company to see if they offer purchase protection for items you bought with your card. The credit card company may reimburse you for stolen items, including those that were taken from your front doorstep.
Finally, consider a claim under your homeowner’s policy. If you have security cameras installed at your home, check the footage for evidence of the theft. “If you can prove that the package was stolen on your property…then you may be able to make a homeowners claim for the value of the property,” Simeone states in the OppLoans article.
Preventing Package Thefts
With online purchases becoming more and more popular, package theft is likely to continue. The best way to prevent items from being stolen is to avoid having them delivered to your home if you are not going to be there when they are delivered. Instead, have the package sent to your work address, a neighbor or a relative’s address, or a shipping warehouse.
If you need the package delivered to your home, consider requiring the delivery company to obtain a signature upon delivery; you might not get the package on the first delivery if no one is available to sign for it, but you will avoid having it left unattended.
You can also consider installing security cameras on your property, which might deter thieves, as they do not want to risk being caught on camera.
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