Amazon is reportedly planting fake packages to catch thieves

Amazon apparently has its own tactic for catching employees stealing — plant fake packages in delivery trucks and see what happens.

According to sources from a Business Insider report, the company has been planting “dummy packages” in trucks randomly to see how drivers respond.

“It’s meant to be a trap … to check the integrity of the driver,” a former Amazon logistics manager told Business Insider.

Once the driver scans these dummy packages, which have fake labels and are often empty, an error message comes up, letting workers know it isn’t registering in Amazon’s system. This is often a clear sign for drivers with sticky fingers that the package could go unnoticed if it were to go missing.

If the driver fails to return the package to Amazon, then they are suspected of swiping it, according to the outlet’s sources.

In a statement to FOX Business regarding the practice, an Amazon spokesperson said, "Checks and audits are part of overall quality programs and are administered at random.”

The move could be one way Amazon and other big retailers could alleviate theft, which is a giant problem for many as more and more customers continue to do a majority of their shopping online.

According to a study last year by Shorr Packaging, 31 percent of Americans polled said they have personally experienced package theft and more than 50 percent have changed their plans in order to be home to receive a package due to fears of theft.

And for retailers, the most alarming statistic is that 41 percent of respondents said they have avoided buying certain items online due to the risks of package theft.