A missing package looks like a small problem. But data from the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG) tell a different story: package theft is a multibillion-dollar economic problem that grows every year alongside e-commerce.
The numbers
Estimates from independent sources (Security.org, SafeWise and Finder) compiled by the USPS OIG in report RISC-WP-25-002, published May 2025.
Beyond the package: who pays
- Retailers replace the product or refund the money, and pay twice to process and ship the same order.
- Delivery companies absorb the cost of processing and verifying claims, and put their reputation at risk.
- Consumers lose time filing claims and sometimes their money. 58% of victims had to ask the retailer for a refund or replacement.
- Communities and property managers spend staff time receiving, searching for and resolving packages, and the conflicts strain community life.
A growing problem
- U.S. e-commerce reached $1.22 trillion in 2024 and is projected to reach $1.88 trillion by 2029.
- Package volume is expected to grow 25% between 2024 and 2028.
- Mail theft complaints rose from 114,456 to 299,020 in one year, a 161% increase (USPS OIG, 2023).
- High-volume mail theft incidents rose from 20,574 (2019) to 49,146 (2023), a 139% increase (U.S. Postal Inspection Service).
Mail theft figures include all types of mail, not only packages.
What the OIG recommends
The report recommends secure and flexible delivery options, tracking and prevention technology and better data on every incident. USPS itself already operates Smart Lockers at more than 500 locations.
What you can do today
A smart locker addresses all three recommendations at once: the package is never left exposed, the recipient is notified instantly and every delivery and pickup is recorded.
Request a consultation and we will evaluate your property or business.
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