Australian parcel theft statistics.

Key statistics at a glance

• 4.2 million Australians had a parcel lost or stolen in the past year
• An estimated $540 million is lost annually to missing parcels across Australia
• 154 out of every 10,000 deliveries are stolen as of 2024 — up from 60 per 10,000 in 2016
• 36% of Australians have had a package lost or stolen at some point in their lifetime
• Australia recorded the second-largest increase in parcel theft globally, behind only the UK
• 49% of parcel theft victims do not report the theft to authorities
• The average value of a stolen parcel is $129 to $139
• 5% of victims have lost items worth more than $500
• Amazon deliveries account for 47% of stolen parcel reports in Australia
• Black Friday and Christmas are the peak risk periods, each accounting for 23% of thefts

The trend over time

Parcel theft as a proportion of total deliveries has increased every year since records began. In 2016, theft represented 0.06% of all deliveries — six parcels per 10,000. By 2018 this had reached 0.08%, spiking to 0.105% in 2021 as pandemic-driven online shopping surged. By 2023 the rate stood at 0.125%, and as of 2024, it has reached 0.154%. Every year of increasing online retail volume has brought a corresponding increase in parcel theft.

Hotspot suburbs

Parcel theft concentrates heavily in inner-city and suburban residential areas rather than CBDs. In New South Wales, Prestons and Padstow in Sydney's southwest are the most consistently reported hotspots. Prestons recorded a 39.5% increase in theft rates in a single 12-month period, averaging 23 claims per month. Padstow averages 18 claims per month. In Victoria, Wandana Heights has emerged as a significant hotspot. Greater Adelaide recorded the sharpest citywide increase of any Australian capital.

Who is most affected

Gen Z shoppers are the most likely generation to report a missing parcel (26%) or confirmed theft (7%), reflecting higher online shopping frequency. Gen X has the highest average loss value at $178 per stolen parcel. Women and men are almost equally likely to be affected (22% vs 20%). Nearly half of all victims take no further action after their parcel is stolen.

Prevention effectiveness

Only 38% of Australians who regularly receive deliveries have security cameras or video doorbells installed. Active parcel tracking is the most common prevention measure (61% of shoppers) but does not secure the parcel itself. Requesting signature on delivery is used by 39% of shoppers but requires someone to be home — and many carriers do not honour the request consistently. A secure parcel box with a one-way drop mechanism is the only solution that physically prevents theft after delivery, regardless of whether the recipient is home.

Sources

Data sourced from: Finder Consumer Sentiment Tracker (December 2024), Penn Elcom Global Parcel Theft Report (2022), Fast Courier parcel theft analysis (2024), Compare the Market parcel theft research (2025).