One route investigates. The other decides whether anyone gets paid.
The two routes, and what each one is for
| Route | What it covers | How to reach it | What it can produce |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postal Inspection Service | Mail theft, mail fraud, identity theft, counterfeit postage and related crimes | Online reporting forms, or 1-877-876-2455 | Investigation. It does not pay a claim |
| Carrier claim | A covered shipment that was lost or taken in the network | The carrier claim portal, inside the published window | Money, if the claim is approved on its evidence |
| Local police | Theft from a porch, mailbox or vehicle after delivery | Non-emergency line, or 911 for a crime in progress | A report you can reference elsewhere |
| Seller or marketplace | Consumer purchases | The order page or the merchant directly | Replacement or refund, on the merchant's own terms |
USPIS states its position on urgency plainly: "Call 911 to report an active crime in progress." Everything else goes through the reporting channels rather than an emergency line.
Why the delivery scan changes everything
There is a bright line running through these cases, and it sits at the moment of delivery.
- Postal rules place "loss, damage, or missing contents that occurred after delivery" among the situations that cannot be paid, per DMM 609 section 4.3 at pe.usps.com, checked 2026-07-28.
- A parcel taken from inside the postal stream is a different case from a parcel taken off a step after a delivery scan, even though both feel identical to the person who ordered it.
- The crime report route stays open either way. The claim route narrows sharply once a delivery scan exists.
- Before concluding anything, rule out the ordinary explanations. USPS lists garages, other members of the household, mailboxes, sheltered spots and places out of street view such as under a mat or near a back entrance as places a carrier may leave a parcel, per faq.usps.com checked 2026-07-27.
What to do, in sequence
- 1. Photograph the scene and the tracking pageAn empty step with a timestamp, and the delivery scan next to it, is the record everything else refers back to. Capture both before the page updates again.
- 2. Rule out the innocent versionAsk the household, the neighbours and any building staff, and check parcel lockers where the community has them. A meaningful share of these cases end here.
- 3. Report to the postal inspectors if mail is involvedReports go in online at uspis.gov/report or by phone on 1-877-876-2455. The Inspection Service covers mail theft alongside mail fraud, identity theft and counterfeit postage.
- 4. Open the money route separatelyA covered shipment still needs its carrier claim, filed inside that carrier's window. The crime report does not start it and does not extend it.
- 5. Tell the seller or the buyer, whichever you areMarketplaces settle a large share of these cases on their own terms, often faster than any claim. That conversation costs nothing to start.
- 6. Change the handoff for next timeA different delivery point is the only step on this list that prevents a repeat, and it is the cheapest of them.
The cost of replacing a small parcel
Doorstep losses cluster around small, light, easily pocketed parcels, so we priced one of those rather than a heavy carton. A cotton t-shirt in a poly mailer, 12 by 9 by 1 in at 0.7 lb, quoted through the SMKlog calculator on 2026-07-28.
| Carrier | Service | Price | Estimate returned |
|---|---|---|---|
| USPS | Ground Advantage | $8.86 | 8-9 business days |
| FedEx | Ground Economy | $10.06 | 6-7 business days |
| UPS | Ground | $10.31 | 2-3 business days |
| UPS | 3 Day Select | $15.13 | 5-6 business days |
| UPS | 2nd Day Air | $15.38 | 2-3 business days |
On a parcel this cheap to send, the replacement often costs less than the hours a claim consumes, which is a genuine consideration rather than a cynical one. A signature requirement, where the route supports it, changes the handoff on the second attempt.
Move the delivery point, not the odds
Holding a parcel at a Post Office, sending to a workplace or using a locker takes the doorstep out of the equation entirely. That beats any amount of after-the-fact reporting for a repeat target address.
A signature is a different handoff
Where a route supports it, requiring a signature means the parcel does not sit unattended at all. Our signature confirmation page prices the postal version of that add-on.
Recipient-side steps live next door
This page covers reporting and prevention. The step-by-step for a buyer staring at an empty porch is on our stolen package page, with the carrier deadlines set out.
Mail theft reporting questions
Where do I report mail theft?
To the United States Postal Inspection Service, online through the reporting forms at uspis.gov/report or by phone on 1-877-876-2455. The Inspection Service handles mail theft alongside mail fraud, identity theft, counterfeit postage and related crimes, per uspis.gov checked 2026-07-28.
Does reporting theft get my money back?
The two things are separate. A report to the Postal Inspection Service starts an investigation, while money comes only from a carrier claim on a covered shipment, from the seller, or from a marketplace resolution. Filing one does not open the other.
Is porch theft the same as mail theft for a claim?
Not for claim purposes. Postal rules put loss, damage or missing contents that occurred after delivery among the situations that cannot be paid, so a delivery scan followed by a theft is a different case from a parcel that vanished inside the network.
Should I call 911 about a stolen package?
Only for a crime in progress. USPIS says to call 911 to report an active crime in progress, and to use its own reporting channels otherwise. For a theft discovered after the fact, the non-emergency police line is the usual route for a local report.