From UberEats to dog food and even a queen bed — no package is off limits for parcel thieves, some brazen enough to walk into an apartment lobby with CCTV without looking sideways.
Helen Baker’s daughter spent $200 on clothes online last month, only for the parcel to be stolen 30 minutes after delivery from the mailroom of her Newstead apartment complex.
“It’s sad that my daughter has lost items that she worked hard for, and I’m now worried about future parcels and how they are delivered,” Ms Baker said.
“This is our home and where we live, but now we don’t know whether anything that gets delivered will be safe.”
The person who took the parcel was captured on CCTV and the footage was sent to police, but no-one has been arrested and the order has not been refunded or re-filled.
“We got in touch with the body corporate about it but we haven’t heard anything, so we don’t really know where we go from here,” she said.
Victoria Laurenzi had a parcel of crocheted animals which came with funny, emotional support messages, stolen from the doorstep of her home in Coorparoo several weeks ago.
CCTV footage shows a man wearing a black cap casually walking onto her property before swiping the parcel and running away.
In a post on social media, she said: “Not sure a heap of crocheted animals would be of any use to him … so maybe it will make him a better human.”
Australians lose millions to parcel thieves
People living in apartments and townhouses in Brisbane have reported missing meal kits, stolen Christmas presents and UberEats, and even a large timber bed frame lifted from a building foyer.
A study by financial comparison site Finder found 21 per cent of Australians — about 4.2 million people — had a parcel lost or stolen in the last 12 months.
“The average value of the missing parcel was $129, so when you add it all up that is about $2.8 million [worth of] packages being taken,” Finder personal finance specialist Taylor Blackburn said.
He said they often notice a spike in the number of parcels stolen in the lead up to Christmas and after Black Friday sales when people do more online shopping.
Neighbourhood watch
Vee, who asked for her last name to be withheld, had hundreds of dollars in cosmetics stolen after a parcel was delivered to her home while she was away.
“I had a friend who was house-sitting for me when I got the notification that a parcel had been delivered to our apartment, which requires a key on entry,” she said.
“My friend saw the parcel, ran out to the shops to get milk, and by the time she got back the parcel was gone.”
CCTV showed the parcel was stolen by someone who entered the apartment complex via the car park, which was unsecured.
“We made a report about the stolen items and police were able to identify the person responsible,” she said.
Vee never got her items, or a refund. She wants to make thefts like this don’t happen in her building again.
“I keep an eye out for my neighbours’ parcels if I see them … we have banded together and created a neighbourhood watch for parcels in our lobby.”
Vee campaigned for extra security in her block, including a parcel locker, and an extra swipe card for the car park.
“If you are in that situation and think improvements could be made, then don’t be afraid to go to body corporate and ask them.”
Who’s responsible if your parcel gets stolen?
If you think your parcel has been stolen or picked up by someone else by mistake, first contact the sender who is legally obligated to fulfil your order.
You’ll need to provide details of the order and proof that the parcel was delivered.
They may replace it, but you may also be left to cop the cost.
You should also contact Australia Post or the courier directly to check the tracking status in case it was sent to the wrong location or there’s been a delay.
An Australia Post spokesperson said, “theft of parcels and mail after delivery is a criminal offence and customers should get in touch with police if they suspect their mail has been tampered with or stolen”.
If you live in an apartment complex, let building management know and then make a non-urgent report to police either by phone or online.
Credit card insurance can cover some stolen, lost, or damaged items if a claim is lodged within 90 days.
How to safeguard against parcel theft
There are several ways police say you can safeguard yourself against parcel theft.
- Secure your letterbox with a lock
- Leave instructions for parcels to be left in a safe spot
- Divert your mail to Australia Post, parcel locked PO box or private bag
- Ask for parcel tracking and get insurance if your parcel is valuable
- If you notice mail missing, contact the person or business who sent it directly and make a non-urgent report to police
Also read: Australia Post confirms Christmas delivery cut-off dates for 2024.
