How to keep your parcels safe on Black Friday and this Christmas

Christmas retail experts predict £34bn will spent on shopping online over the festive period

As Black Friday gets under way and Christmas is just around the corner, retail experts predict £34bn will be spent on online shopping this year. Millions of parcels will arrive on doorsteps across the UK. But delivery companies are advising customers to take precautions to make sure those parcels arrive safely.

It comes as police investigate reports of Evri parcels being taken from doorsteps in the Kingsway area of Gloucester by someone who was supposed to be delivering them.

A spokesperson for the company said they have a "zero-tolerance policy towards behaviour of this kind".

In the past year, more than £660m worth of parcels were stolen across the UK - almost "£290m more than in 2024 - according to new Freedom of Information (FOI) data collected by technology company Quadient.

That same FOI request showed millions of homes had at least one parcel stolen, but many of these crimes are not reported to the police.

In Gloucester, police investigated after doorbell footage was being shared on social media by residents appeared to show parcels being stolen.

In response, courier Evri apologised and said the driver involved was working for a "third-party courier" and is "no longer delivering on behalf of Evri".

So what can be done to keep our parcels safe?

In Gloucester, a delivery driver was caught on a doorbell camera walking away with a package

Track your packages

BBC West Environment and Business Correspondent, Dave Harvey, said while companies can invest in the "fastest tech to drive customers to a fancy website and take their money safely, if they can't get it to your door, it's all for nothing".

"For now, getting that shiny Christmas box to your door relies on a delivery driver, often working a zero hours contract with poor conditions," he added.

So keeping an eye on your deliveries right to your door could be helpful with most couriers offer a tracking system via their website or app.

For sending parcels, Royal Mail recommend using a tracked service for "extra piece of mind".

Specify a hidden location

Delivery companies also suggest choosing a "safe place" for parcels which is out of sight, under shelter and easy for the courier to find.

If you thought you would be home but are held up or plans change, then some offer a divert option where you can change your delivery options in real time, whilst your parcel is on the road.

If none of these are possible, most will take the item back to the delivery office and then automatically attempt to deliver it again the next day.

As a policy, Royal Mail said it doesn't leave items outside in "unsecure locations, like a doorstep where theft would be more likely".

Royal Mail say they do not leave items on doorsteps where theft is more likely

Nominate a neighbour

Royal Mail, Evri and Amazon all recommend nominating a neighbour to take in your parcels when you are not in.

Royal Mail say on their website that their staff use their "own judgement" about which neighbour to approach, or whether to approach a neighbour at all if one has not been specifically nominated.

Technology reporter and consumer champion David McClelland said: "If you are expecting deliveries, just do a bit of homework, and see if they [offer alternative delivery options], many of them do offer an option for leaving some delivery instructions."

Footage was posted on social media

Home security measures

There are also now lots of home security devices which are simple to install and can deter potential thefts or even help gather evidence.

In Gloucester, it was doorbell footage that prompted the police investigation into parcels being stolen.

Research in 2022, showed one in five people had a doorbell camera device.

Mr McClelland said they can act as a "visual deterrent" to thieves, and said they are being used more by law enforcement investigations.

Parcel boxes also are becoming more popular for people who are rarely home to accept deliveries.

Report it

If a parcel is suspected to have been stolen, on their website Citizens Advice says that you "might be able to claim compensation from the delivery company that sent your item" but how much money you can get depends on "how the item was sent and what the problem is".

Any theft should also be reported to police. Although they might not be able to get the parcel back for you, it may help towards a claim for compensation.

To help avoid more thefts in future you could think about getting a parcel safe.