Seasonal package thieves are out in full force as the holidays bring record volumes of packages.
If you’re still waiting on a package to be delivered in time for the holiday, you’re not alone. Record e-commerce sales, the coronavirus pandemic and a snow storm in the Northeast last week have created logistical challenges and extensive delays for shippers. Not knowing when your packages will arrive makes them an easy target for theft. Since package theft is a crime of opportunity, being proactive and vigilant this week as we go into the holiday is imperative to reducing crime in our neighborhoods.
the link between theft and violent crimes
Dallas Police Deputy Chief Reuben Ramirez, who currently oversees the department’s Criminal Investigations Bureau, said during this week’s Dallas Police Chief Candidate Forum that property theft in the city is directly linked to violent crime. “The people who steal our property are taking it to these drug houses to exchange for drugs”, he said, adding that violent offenders most commonly have a history of committing theft, drugs and weapons-related offenses, all of which are occurring at drug houses across the city. The violent crime rate in Dallas has been extensively covered in the news, but check any Nextdoor feed and you’ll see that property theft is on the rise too.
defending our neighborhoods
Even as more homes are using video security, thieves are often undeterred because of how quickly they can take a package and disappear. Here are several ways to outsmart package thieves:
1. Keep track of pending deliveries. Know which packages you’ll be receiving and if possible, when they will arrive. Ask anyone sending gifts to your home to share the tracking information. For enhanced tracking, the US Postal Service offers a free Informed Delivery service, where you can view all incoming mail and packages on a dashboard. You receive an email summary of the day’s mail before it arrives, including an image of each mail piece and tracking for packages scheduled for delivery. You can also provide additional delivery instructions, including instructions to leave your mail with a neighbor.
Major shipping companies like UPS and FedEx offer similar free delivery management apps like UPS My Choice or FedEx Delivery Manager that allow you to divert shipments to one of their secure pick-up locations or change your delivery date and time. Amazon offers Prime members the ability to choose an Amazon Day, a day of the week to have all orders delivered at once instead of throughout the week.
2. Enlist a neighbor to help. If you’re away during a scheduled delivery, ask a neighbor to secure packages for you. If you have a Ring security device, you can also add users who can view activity and receive notifications to help you manage deliveries.
3. Help your neighbors. Scan your neighborhood for packages in plain view as you drive and walk by, and notify your neighbor so that they can secure them. (Note that you should never relocate a neighbor’s mail or take a package from a neighbor’s home without their permission. With the ongoing pandemic, some neighbors may not want this type of help. And your presence on their porch handling their mail might alarm them, or worse, end in an unfortunate situation for you both.) Call them, text them or take a second to knock and introduce yourself.
4. Report crime and suspicious activity. Taking to the neighborhood app is a great way to communicate with neighbors, but for police to allocate resources to address crime, it has to be reported. Use the city’s online reporting system to report package thefts. Always call 9-1-1 to report suspicious persons or break-ins and provide as much information as you can safely obtain about their appearance and direction of travel.
District 9 Councilwoman Paula Blackmon, who recently participated in DPD’s Volunteers in Patrol (VIP) training, said the program is a great tool for reducing neighborhood crime and that she’s working to broaden the program’s reach with city-wide messaging. The program trains citizens to patrol and report criminal activity in their neighborhoods to the police. To join the next VIP training, contact your Dallas Police substation.
Opportunities for theft invite other crimes, like vehicle and residential burglaries, and ultimately decrease the safety and value of a neighborhood. By watching out for one another, we’re creating safer neighborhoods, maximizing police resources and decreasing emergency response times for all of Dallas.
Thank an essential worker
Delivery workers have brought us groceries and stay-home essentials all year, and now they’re working long hours to make sure holiday deliveries arrive in time. Some days, our postal carrier hits our box by 7am, and it’s not uncommon to see her walking her route in the adjacent neighborhoods until dark.
This year, while we were home more often than not, her visit became a bright spot in our monotonous days, and our son decided a few weeks ago he’d like to gift her something to keep her warm in the cold. If you’d like to give your carrier a gift, they are permitted to accept any gift worth $20 or less per customer per occasion, such as Christmas, and up to $50 worth of gifts per customer per calendar year. However, they cannot accept cash, checks or gift cards.
They also appreciate thanks, patience and knowing the packages they delivered are bringing your family joy this season.