(The City of Poway is posting this on behalf of our Sheriff's Poway Station)
The holiday season is now upon us – this also means we are in the biggest shopping season of the year. The biggest shopping season of the year also comes with increases in package thefts. On behalf of the City of Poway and Sheriff's Department, here are some tips to reduce your chance of becoming a victim of package theft this holiday season:
- Sign up for delivery alerts so you know when your package has shipped, is out for delivery, and when it has been delivered. Some delivery services even provide an option to specify where you would like to package to be delivered, like your back yard instead of the front, etc.
- If you cannot be home to meet your package, ask a trusted friend or neighbor to pick up your package after it has been delivered.
- If the package allows for it, request a delivery signature for your item.
- Consider alternate locations for your delivery – with permission, you can have your package delivered to work. You can also pick up straight from the delivery service, or utilize a store's "Ship to Store" feature. Amazon even has lockers situated across San Diego county where you can have your Amazon packages safely delivered.
- Be a good neighbor! If you work from home, consider reaching out to neighbors you know to offer having their packages delivered to your home during the workday.
If you have a package stolen, the first step is to contact the Sheriff's Department at (858) 565-5200. You may also want to reach out to neighbors to find out if they saw anything suspicious (or have security footage that may be of help).