What’s the Porch Piracy Cure?

INSIDE: The Smarter Doorbell Designed to Know the Difference Between a Delivery and a Visitor

Summary: Package theft is a persistent problem on the North Shore, and most doorbell cameras can't see the spot where a box lands. Several advanced UniFi doorbells feature a downward-facing camera dedicated to that spot and send you an instant phone alert the moment a delivery arrives. Avidia expertly installs this doorbell, then integrates it into your home's network, so you know right away.

Package theft is a familiar frustration for homeowners across Chicago’s North Shore in Illinois, especially as we head into a season when deliveries pile up on the porch.

Most doorbell cameras treat every motion the same way, sending a notification whether it's a delivery driver, a squirrel, or, worse, a spider crawling across the doorbell. UniFi takes a different approach to doorbells, using more precision and a dedicated downward-facing camera designed to monitor the specific spot where packages land. It gives homeowners a simpler way to stay on top of deliveries without having to ask a neighbor for help or to check the porch all day.

How Does a Standard Doorbell Camera Fall Short?

A typical doorbell camera points straight out at the street, which is useful for seeing who's approaching but not for watching what happens to a box once it's set down. By the time a driver walks away, the package is often entirely out of frame. That gap is where porch piracy happens, and it's why so many theft reports come with footage that shows everything except the theft itself.

What Does the Downward-Facing Camera See?

UniFi's approach adds a second lens angled toward the ground directly below the doorbell, giving you a more comprehensive field of view. The camera view stays fixed on the delivery zone, so the system recognizes when a package is placed and sends a specific alert to the homeowner's phone instead of a generic motion notification. The signal is clear and immediate: something was just delivered, right now, at your door, and you can view live footage of it there for confirmation.

Enjoy Fewer Notifications So There’s Less to Keep Track Of

In a busy household, attention is limited. When every passing car or tree branch triggers a notification, homeowners start ignoring them all, including the ones that matter. Because the UniFi doorbell system recognizes package-specific activity, the alerts it sends carry more weight. A delivery notification is something you can act on immediately, without sifting through the digital noise of multiple notifications.

Avidia Approaches the Full Picture of Home Safety

Smart security is about more than adding cameras that connect to the internet. It's about proactive intelligence that informs you of what's happening before you have to go looking. Avidia partners with UniFi not only because of the cutting-edge advancements the brand consistently incorporates into its products, but because we can easily integrate them into the rest of a home's network and smart home system. A video doorbell backed by the infrastructure that supports the rest of a connected home is more reliable and secure, plus it’s easy to oversee, even when you're busy or away.

UniFi Package Doorbell FAQs

1. Will a UniFi doorbell stop someone from taking my package?

A doorbell can't physically guard a porch, but it shortens the time a box sits unnoticed. You get an alert as soon as a delivery lands, so you or someone at home can bring it inside quickly. If a theft does happen, the dedicated package camera gives you footage of the exact spot where the box sat, which a standard doorbell camera often misses.

2. How does the doorbell know a package has been delivered?

The downward-facing camera stays pointed at the spot below your doorbell or wherever on your porch you’ve designated for packages. UniFi's software looks for package activity in that view. When it spots a box, it sends a package alert to your phone, and you can open live video to confirm it.

3. Will I still get alerts for every passing car or animal?

You choose which detections trigger an alert, so you can keep notifications for packages and visitors and leave the rest in the recorded timeline. We set this up with you during installation so your phone stays quiet until something worth seeing happens.

4. Does every UniFi doorbell have a package camera?

No. The G6 Pro Entry, G6 Entry, and G4 Doorbell Pro include a dedicated package camera, while the UniFi Doorbell Lite does not. We'll help you choose the model that suits your needs.

5. Can Avidia install the doorbell and connect it to the rest of my home?

Yes. We install the doorbell and connect it to your smart home system, so it works with the rest of your technology ecosystem. We serve homeowners across Chicago's North Shore in Illinois.

Contact Avidia Today

As deliveries become a bigger part of your routine this season, a smarter doorbell setup is worth a look. Book a consultation here or use the live chat below to talk through what a UniFi doorbell setup could look like for your home.