November 16, 2016
There’s a chill in the air, festive decorations are
beginning to pepper city streets and stores are releasing their Black Friday
ads, which means the holiday shopping season is underway. Richmond Police
detectives want to help shoppers protect their gifts this year.
While many shoppers will flock to local stores to
snag holiday deals, others will find their incredible savings online, where as
much as $117 billion in sales is expected this year, according to the National
Retail Federation. As those purchases are made, packages will arrive on
shoppers’ doorsteps – which may not be the safest place to have them delivered.
“Online shopping is convenient, but having a package
you’re anxiously waiting for stolen from your porch is anything but,” said Third
Precinct Officer John Raina. “Package theft is a crime of
opportunity, and shoppers can take several steps to protect their presents from
thieves looking to take advantage.”As part of the Richmond Police Department’s holiday crime prevention efforts, officers are passing out fliers (see images below) highlighting holiday shopping and package theft prevention safety tips.
Here are some tips to help ensure holiday packages arrive safely this season.
- Consider
having packages delivered to the store or a place of employment.
- Ask a
family member or trusted neighbor to receive your parcels.
- Pick
up packages at a local distribution center.
- Request
signature on delivery.
The Richmond Police Department also asks that if citizens see a suspicious person or activity that they report it by calling 911.
