How to Stop Package Theft in Brooklyn Apartment Lobbies Before the Holiday Rush

Holiday shopping brings more deliveries – and more pressure on Brooklyn apartment lobbies. Boxes may be left near the entrance, delivery workers may arrive at the same time, and residents may wait hours before collecting their packages.

The best way to reduce package theft is to control what happens between delivery and pickup. This means limiting unauthorized lobby access, moving packages away from public view, creating a consistent handoff process, and assigning someone to monitor deliveries during busy periods.

No single camera, lock, or security guard can guarantee that every theft will be prevented. However, a layered plan can make packages more difficult to access and give building staff a clearer response when something goes wrong.

Why Apartment Lobbies Become Vulnerable During the Holidays

A normal lobby may receive only a manageable number of packages each day. During the holiday season, that number can rise quickly.

Packages begin stacking near mailboxes, doors, elevators, or front-desk areas. Delivery workers may be buzzed inside without verification, while residents hold doors open for people they do not recognize. In buildings without regular lobby coverage, packages may remain unattended for hours.

The main problem is not simply the number of deliveries. It is the lack of control between the building entrance, package drop-off area, and resident pickup.

Create One Approved Delivery Process

Property managers should decide exactly how deliveries will be handled before the seasonal increase begins.

Drivers should know where packages may be left. Building staff should know whether they are expected to accept deliveries, record them, notify residents, or direct drivers to a secure room.

The procedure should answer several practical questions:

• Where can delivery workers enter?
• Who verifies them?
• Where must packages be placed?
• Who has access to the storage area?
• How will residents be notified?
• What happens when a package is left in the wrong location?

If front-desk or security personnel will accept packages, their responsibility must be clearly defined. A security officer should not automatically be treated as a package custodian unless receiving and releasing deliveries are included in the site’s procedures.

Move Packages Away From the Main Entrance

A package left beside a public-facing lobby door can be seen and removed quickly. Whenever possible, deliveries should be transferred to a controlled package room, locked storage area, parcel locker, or monitored location away from the entrance.

The NYPD recommends considering package lockboxes, alert-enabled cameras, motion-sensitive lighting, and delivery notifications where appropriate. nyc.gov

Residents should also be encouraged to collect deliveries promptly. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service recommends prompt pickup, signature confirmation, and alternative delivery arrangements when someone cannot receive a package directly. uspis.gov

Control Access Without Disrupting Residents

A locked front door offers limited protection when residents regularly allow unknown people to follow them inside.

This is known as tailgating. During busy delivery periods, it may become difficult to distinguish couriers, visitors, contractors, and unauthorized entrants.

Building management should remind residents not to hold secured doors open for unknown individuals. Delivery workers and visitors should use the approved intercom, front desk, or entry procedure.

Read more about this access-control weakness in One Badge Swipe, Two People Inside.

Review Existing Cameras Before the Rush

Cameras are useful for reviewing an incident, but recording the lobby is only part of the plan.

Before holiday deliveries increase, property managers should confirm that existing cameras provide a clear view of the entrance and package area. The date and time should be correct, recordings should be retrievable, and management should know how long footage is retained.

If theft occurs, preserve the relevant footage before it is overwritten. Record the reported delivery time, location, package description, people observed, and actions taken. Useful reporting allows management, police, delivery companies, and insurers to understand what happened.

Churchgate’s guide to security reporting that property managers can use explains why accurate incident details matter.

Consider Holiday Lobby Security Coverage

Some apartment buildings may benefit from temporary or extended lobby coverage during high-volume delivery periods.

A trained unarmed security officer or concierge-front-desk professional can support the building by monitoring entry, verifying visitors according to site procedures, directing delivery workers, watching for suspicious activity, and documenting incidents.

The officer’s responsibilities should be based on the property’s actual needs. For example, a building may need coverage during afternoon delivery peaks, evening resident pickup, or weekends rather than around the clock.

Churchgate Protective Services provides unarmed guards, concierge and front-desk security, access control, visitor management, and mobile patrol services for residential and commercial properties across New York City. churchgateprotective.com

What Should Staff Do After a Package Theft?

Staff should not make accusations or physically confront someone based only on suspicion.

They should follow the building’s incident procedure, protect any available video, record facts rather than assumptions, and notify management. Call 911 when a crime is actively occurring or someone is in immediate danger.

Suspected theft involving U.S. Mail may also be reported to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which provides a reporting channel and telephone number for mail-related crimes. United States Postal Inspection Service

Prepare Before Deliveries Begin Stacking Up

The holiday package rush should not be the first time staff discuss delivery security.

Review the building entrance, package-storage area, camera coverage, staffing plan, resident communication, and incident-response procedure before delivery volume increases. The strongest plan connects each step-from courier entry to resident pickup – so packages are not left unattended without accountability.

To discuss temporary holiday coverage or a longer-term lobby security plan, contact Churchgate Protective Services at (718) 498-5960 or info@churchgatecorp.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can apartment buildings reduce package theft?

Use controlled entry, a secure package area, prompt resident notifications, working cameras, clear delivery rules, and trained personnel during high-volume periods.

Should packages be left in an apartment lobby?

Packages should not be left beside an uncontrolled entrance. A locked room, parcel locker, staffed front desk, or monitored area is generally a safer option.

Can a security guard accept residents’ packages?

Only when package acceptance is included in the officer’s assigned duties and supported by a clear logging, storage, notification, and release procedure.

Should staff confront a suspected package thief?

Staff should prioritize safety, observe and document relevant details, follow the building’s response plan, and contact police when appropriate.

This article provides general security information, not legal advice. Every property should develop procedures based on its layout, staffing, building policies, and applicable requirements.