In the heart of Manhattan, encompassing parts of Murray Hill, Kips Bay, and the eastern edge of Midtown, is no stranger to the growing epidemic of package theft. With its dense residential buildings, busy sidewalks, and limited private mailrooms, this neighborhood has become a prime target for porch pirates and delivery mishaps.
As online shopping continues to soar, so does the frustration of residents who never receive the packages they paid for.
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"It feels like a gamble every time I order something online," says Lena R., a long-time Murray Hill resident. "Just last month, I lost a pair of sneakers that were marked 'delivered' by the carrier. They never made it inside my building."
Her experience isn’t unique. Across the 10016 area, residents report repeated incidents of theft, misdelivery, and carriers leaving packages out in the open. David M., who lives near Park Avenue South, installed a security camera after three missing packages in two weeks. "One time, the footage showed the delivery guy drop the box on the steps, and within 10 minutes someone casually walked by and took it."
Such audacious thefts are no longer rare. Delivery workers are often under time pressure, leading them to skip buzzers, leave packages in lobbies, or worse, toss them outside brownstones and apartment buildings with no secure access.
"My neighbor caught someone following a UPS truck on a bike," recalls Jessica T., a Kips Bay resident. "He would wait until a package was dropped off, then ride up and grab it before anyone noticed."
According to a 2024 report by C+R Research, 36% of Americans have experienced at least one stolen package. In metro areas like NYC, the number climbs even higher. SafeWise estimated over 260 million packages were stolen across the U.S. in 2023, and the trend continues into 2025.
In ZIP code 10016 alone, anecdotal data compiled from neighborhood apps like Nextdoor and Citizen suggests that package theft complaints rose by more than 40% from 2022 to 2024.
While there is no centralized city database tracking local incidents, NYPD’s Midtown South Precinct confirmed that petit larceny—the classification for package theft under $1,000—remains one of the most frequently reported crimes in the area.
The financial toll? CNBC reports that the average value of stolen packages is $112, with nearly half of victims never able to recover the item or its cost.
Several factors converge to make the Murray Hill and Kips Bay neighborhood especially susceptible:
Security systems and doorbell cameras have become popular countermeasures. Yet even with high-definition footage, arrests are rare, and packages are rarely recovered.
"The footage gave me a clear image of the thief," says Brian K., who lives on 3rd Avenue. "But the police said unless we could identify them by name or they were caught with the item, there wasn’t much they could do."
Apps like FedEx Delivery Manager and Amazon Photo Proof offer some assurance, but they’re not foolproof. In many cases, the photo simply shows a box left in a vulnerable spot.
Faced with repeated thefts, some residents have turned to alternative delivery options. Amazon Locker stations are located in nearby convenience stores, but these only work for Amazon purchases. UPS Access Points offer limited flexibility, and only work for UPS shipments.
That’s where universal package receiving services like Stowfly come in. With multiple verified locations in and around 10016, Stowfly transforms everyday businesses—like salons, cafes, and corner stores—into safe delivery hubs for packages from any carrier.
How Stowfly Works:
Users choose a nearby Stowfly host location.
They input a package storage address when placing orders online.
When the package arrives, it is stored securely and can be picked up anytime during the host’s business hours.
Each delivery is protected by up to $1,000 in insurance, and the customer receives a unique pickup PIN code.
"I haven’t lost a single package since switching to Stowfly," says Andrew B., a remote worker living on East 34th Street. "I just ship everything to a nail salon two blocks away. It’s stress-free."
Beyond Murray Hill and Kips Bay, the issue of package theft is reshaping how urban consumers receive their goods. In 2025, more Americans than ever are opting for:
Still, none of these fully solve the flexibility issue for all retailers and couriers. Services like Stowfly—with their universal acceptance, low cost, and real human hosts—offer a scalable solution for high-density urban areas to avoid Amazon missing packages, FedEx lost packages, USPS missing packages or UPS stolen packages.
Stowfly pricing is accessible:Subscriptions start at $7.50/month for up to five packages, with a $15/month plan covering 15 packages. For those dealing with hundreds of dollars in stolen goods each year, it's a bargain. Plus, all locations are vetted and trained, making security and privacy a top priority.
Murray Hill and Kips Bay reflects the broader tension between modern convenience and urban vulnerability. The ease of online shopping collides with the reality of shared mail areas, anonymous foot traffic, and limited enforcement.
But the tide is turning. With community awareness rising and solutions like Stowfly gaining ground, residents are starting to reclaim control over their deliveries.
For the residents of Murray Hill and Kips Bay, package theft isn't just a minor inconvenience—it's a daily risk that comes with modern city living. Yet solutions exist, and they’re more accessible than many realize. By embracing secure pickup options, advocating for better delivery practices, and supporting neighborhood-friendly services like Stowfly, locals are forging a safer, more reliable future for their online orders.
Because in the city that never sleeps, your package shouldn’t have to go missing just to prove a point.
Check this blog to find out about delivery chaos in NYC and how Upper East Siders can take control of it