Police offer tips to curb package thefts

Palo Alto Police are offering tips to prevent packages from being stolen from people’s front porches.

Police said in a statement:

“This is a crime that occurs in virtually every community in our country. … Packages that are left unattended make for easy targets for criminals.”

Police said package thefts commonly occur during normal working hours, when many people are not at home. To avoid becoming a victim, police offered the following tips:

• If your employer will allow it, have packages delivered to your office.
• If not, have packages delivered to a place where they can be received in person, such as the home of a trusted neighbor who stays home during the day, or a retired relative.
• Request the shipper require a signature confirmation or hold your package at their pick-up facility so you can pick it up in person at your convenience.
• If purchasing from a large retailer, request that your package be delivered to a local branch of the store so you can pick it up in person at your convenience.
• Request a specific delivery date and time from the shipper when you know you will be home. – Provide delivery instructions to the sihpper so that packages can be left at a safe location at your home that is out of sight from the street.
• Sign up for delivery alerts from the shipper.

Police also encouraged residents to sign up for the web service, www.nextdoor.com, a free, private social network that is based on neighborhoods. Palo Alto police said they use Nextdoor as one way to provide crime prevention information to the community.