Stop parcel theft: how a video doorbell helps, with the Ajax DoorBell explained

Police advice on parcel theft starts with the delivery itself: track the parcel so someone is in, have it left with a neighbour or sent to a locker, and fit a video doorbell that tells your phone when a courier arrives. The Ajax DoorBell can ring your phone like a call, lets you talk to the courier from wherever you are and, with an Ajax NVR or a Cloud Storage plan, keeps a clip if a parcel is taken.

How common are parcel problems in the UK?

Ofcom's latest survey, published in October 2026, asked 4,179 UK residents (aged 16+) about their deliveries over the previous six months. Seven in ten (71%) had at least one problem, up from 68% in 2025, and several happen right at the front door:

• 28% had a parcel left in an inappropriate location.
• 25% said the driver did not knock loudly enough or ring the doorbell.
• 20% were not given enough time to answer the door.
• 18% found a parcel had not been left in their nominated safe place.

The survey does not count theft separately. The latest Citizens Advice estimate we found, from July 2021, was that about 5.5 million people (one in ten) had a parcel lost or stolen in the previous year.

What stops parcels going missing in the first place?

The Metropolitan Police's tips on parcel theft, which Richmond Council shared in December 2025, come down to a short list:

• Track it so that you, or someone else, is in when it arrives.
• Have it delivered to a neighbour you trust.
• Use an off-site locker service.
• Fit a video doorbell so your phone tells you when a delivery arrives.
• Complain to the delivery company if it ignores your delivery instructions.

We would also fit a PIR security light over the doorway for after dark. A doorbell will not stop a determined thief alone, but it closes the gap between the courier arriving and you, and gives you a record.

Who is responsible if a parcel is stolen from your doorstep?

Under section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods stay at the seller's risk until you, or someone you have named, physically take possession. Citizens Advice notes the catch: if you agreed to a safe place or a neighbour and the parcel was left there, the seller is not usually responsible if it then disappears. If the courier left it somewhere you did not agree to, putting it right is the seller's legal responsibility.

Avon and Somerset Police suggest contacting the seller first, then reporting the theft for a crime reference number. A clip showing where the parcel was left, and who took it, helps with both.

How does the Ajax DoorBell help at the front door?

The Ajax DoorBell is a wired video doorbell with a 4 MP camera, a 155° by 90° view and infrared up to 6 m. For deliveries, these parts count:

• Calls, not just alerts. From version 3.37 of the Ajax Security System app, a press of the button can ring your phone like an ordinary call, so you can speak to the courier from work.
• It notices people without a press. A PIR sensor (up to 4 m) and built-in AI tell people, pets and vehicles apart. So a courier with full hands is still noticed, and motion zones can keep the pavement out of your alerts.
• A voice that carries. Two-way audio through a speaker of up to 85 dB, with noise suppression, lets you ask for the parcel to go out of sight or next door.
• Tamper alerts. If someone tries to remove it, Ajax says it alerts you and captures a snapshot or clip of the person.

It comes in white, grey, graphite and black. Full specifications are on our Ajax video doorbell page, and battery-powered alternatives are in our wider video doorbell range.

Why does the DoorBell need an NVR or Cloud Storage?

DoorBell has no memory card or internal storage, so pulling it off the wall does not hand anyone your recordings. But with nowhere to record, Ajax says it offers live viewing only, so there is no clip for the seller or the police. Two fixes:

• An Ajax NVR: a one-off purchase, which Ajax says you need for continuous recording. The Ajax 8-channel NVR takes one SATA drive of up to 16 TB, not included, so add one of our CCTV hard drives.
• Ajax Cloud Storage: event clips kept off site for up to 7 or 30 days, depending on the plan. It is offered in the UK, but an installer activates it through Ajax's PRO apps and sets the price.

To cover the drive or a side gate too, a wired Ajax TurretCam 5MP on the same NVR keeps everything on one timeline. See all Ajax cameras and NVRs.

What changes when you add an Ajax hub?

DoorBell works on its own over Wi-Fi. Joined to a compatible hub from our Ajax wireless alarm range, it also:

• Keeps a backup link: if Wi-Fi drops, events go over Jeweller radio and photos over Wings (photos on that link need Ajax Cloud Storage).
• Uses your Ajax sirens as the chime.
• Sends alerts and photos to your monitoring company, if you have one.

Not every hub supports it. Here is what Ajax's compatibility tool showed on 27 October 2026, with our prices:

Prices include VAT, delivery is extra, and prices can change. Hard drives are sold separately.

What should you check before fitting one?

• Power. DoorBell is wired: 12 to 24 V DC or 16 to 24 V AC. The BellKit in the box connects an existing wired chime, and then Ajax asks for at least 3 A DC or 10 VA AC. Check what your bell transformer gives; a new mains transformer is a job for a qualified electrician. The battery only covers short power cuts, up to an hour by Ajax's figure.
• Position and signal. Ajax recommends 1.2 to 1.5 m high, out of direct sunlight. It is rated IP54; test the Wi-Fi signal at the door first.
• Privacy. The ICO's home CCTV guidance covers smart doorbells. If it captures beyond your boundary, data protection law applies: aim it at your own property where you can, put up a sign, delete footage regularly and answer a request for a copy within one calendar month.

Our take

A video doorbell is the last layer, not the first: tracking, lockers and a safe place you trust do more to keep a parcel safe. The DoorBell earns its price by answering couriers you would otherwise miss, which Ofcom's figures suggest is common, and by keeping evidence, as long as you budget for an NVR or cloud plan. On a Hub 2, Hub 2 Plus or Hub BP it joins your alarm with a backup radio link; the Hub (4G) is not compatible. Everything else we stock is on our Ajax brand page.

Zenith Security Co. has supplied security equipment since 2012. We supply the DoorBell rather than fit it, and we can recommend a qualified installer depending on the job and area.

Want help choosing? Call 01902 902251, contact us online or visit our Wolverhampton trade counter. We ship nationally to England, Scotland and Wales.

Parcel theft and video doorbells: quick questions

Does the Ajax DoorBell take an SD card?
No. It records to an Ajax NVR or Ajax Cloud Storage. Without either you get live view, calls and two-way talk, but nothing is saved.

Is the Ajax DoorBell battery powered?
No. It needs a wired 12 to 24 V DC or 16 to 24 V AC supply. The built-in battery only bridges short power cuts.

Will it ring my existing chime?
Yes, through the BellKit in the box, if the supply gives at least 3 A DC or 10 VA AC.

My parcel was stolen from the doorstep. Who do I contact?
The seller first, unless it was left where you agreed. Then report it to the police on 101 or online for a crime reference number.

Source: topic from Ajax Systems, How to stop porch pirates; DoorBell facts from Meet DoorBell, In-app calls from DoorBell, the DoorBell specifications and the Ajax device compatibility tool. UK figures and rules from Ofcom (2026 parcel delivery report), Citizens Advice (2021), Metropolitan Police tips (Richmond Council, December 2025), Avon and Somerset Police, the Citizens Advice delivery guidance, the Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 29 and the ICO.