Black Friday Is Coming: How Remote Monitoring & AI Video Surveillance Stop Package Theft

_{By Ed Burnett. Vice President U.S. Security and Global Fraud Investigations | Security | Retired. Featured in U.S. News & World Report article: What To Do If Your Package Is Stolen. Ed Burnett is the retired VP for Security and Global Fraud Investigations at UPS. During his tenure, he led the largest joint UPS and law enforcement investigation in the company’s history involving 17 police jurisdictions. He went on to win California’s Investigation of the Year Award in 2019. Previously, he served as a Military Investigator for the U.S. Army in Wiesbaden, Germany.}

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The familiar buzz of a delivery notification should bring excitement—not dread. Yet for millions of Americans, package theft and porch piracy have turned online shopping into a stressful guessing game. Packages vanish from porches, mailrooms, and apartment lobbies in seconds, especially during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Whether you live in a house or a multi-family community, remote monitoring, real-time surveillance, and AI-powered video surveillance offer smarter, faster, and more reliable ways to protect holiday deliveries.

This guide breaks down the scope of package theft, the vulnerabilities in different housing types, and the most effective prevention strategies—including how remote video guarding can stop porch pirates before they strike.

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Package Theft Statistics & Why Real-Time Surveillance Matters

The scale of porch piracy in 2024 is impossible to ignore:

• 58 million packages stolen in 2024 (USPS OIG)
  
• 45% of Americans have been affected
  
• $12 billion in total financial loss
  
• Holiday theft expected to spike 70% after Black Friday and Cyber Monday
  

AI video surveillance and remote monitoring help reduce “dwell time,” identify suspicious behavior, and alert residents or guards before a thief reaches the package.

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Where Porch Pirates Strike: Why Remote Monitoring Is Essential 

Apartment residents face heightened risk:

• 13% of thefts occur in mailrooms
  
• 4% from package lockers
  
• Residents are 34% more likely to have a package stolen than single family residents
  
• Thieves easily blend into lobbies, hallways, or mailrooms
  

A remote agent watching live feeds can issue real-time voice commands such as:

“This area is under live remote monitoring. You are being recorded. Please leave the package room immediately.”

This is proven to deter thieves faster than passive cameras.

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Best Practices to Prevent Package Theft 

1. Enable Delivery Alerts to minimize unattended package time.
2. Request Signature Confirmation on high-value items.
   
3. Use Alternate Pickup Options like Amazon Lockers or office delivery

Have a Ring camera? Make sure it’s on for the holiday season. But even better: ask your property manager if they utilize remote monitoring. 

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Advanced Theft Prevention for Apartments & Condos

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Remote Guarding Services for Package Rooms

Whether you have a package room or store packages at the desk, remote guarding can help. The combines live monitoring with intervention:

• Live agents view your cameras in real time
  
• Security analytics detect suspicious activity
  
• Guards issue audio warnings to trespassers
  
• Incidents are recorded and reported for liability protection
  

This is one of the most effective and affordable ways to stop repeat theft in apartment buildings.

Remote Video Guarding for High-Risk Areas

High-volume delivery areas—mailrooms, lobbies, and package rooms—are prime targets. Remote video guarding ensures constant oversight, even when staff is off-site.

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What to Do If a Package Is Stolen

Even with strong prevention, theft can still happen.

1. Verify delivery with the carrier.
   
2. Contact the retailer—most offer replacements.
   
3. Notify property management if you live in an apartment.
   
4. File a police report for documentation and reimbursement.

This last one is critical. While you may get a replacement for what you ordered, or you think “It’s no big deal, it was only $25” remember that every theft - whether it’s your own or your neighbors, or a perfect stranger - gets passed along to all of us as consumers in the form of higher prices. 

In 2024, 58 million packages were stolen. That’s almost $1.5 billion in losses that get passed along to us. It’s time to start charging these thieves. 

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Conclusion: Stop Porch Pirates Before They Strike with Remote Monitoring

Package theft is a growing problem—but with the right tools, the vast majority of these thefts can be deterred.  From AI-powered video surveillance to remote guarding services, modern security technology offers real-time protection for residents, property managers, and communities.

Whether it’s Black Friday or any day of the year, remote monitoring and security analytics provide the fastest, most effective way to protect your deliveries and ensure they end up where they belong—in your hands.

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