With just under three weeks until Christmas, the Grande Prairie RCMP is reminding residents to keep track of packages, as too often, criminals seize upon items left on the doorstep.
Sgt. Shawn Graham says there is some tips police share with online shoppers this time of year that will hopefully help them avoid any Christmas nightmares. He adds while it’s not the fault of the homeowner or residents waiting for the package, the best way to keep any potential perps at bay is by being proactive.
“It’s a crime of opportunity, people go around, they see, grab it and go and you then won’t have your packages. Those things make it easy for criminals to grab packages that are just sitting there on the porch.”
“Make sure you pick it up while it’s there, security cameras are great, or have a neighbour pick it up if you can’t, or send it to one of the mail centres,” he says.
He adds if you know you’re not going to be home during the delivery period, consider having it delivered to your workplace, or a friend’s house you know will be available. He adds there are also additional steps you can take through various delivery services, usually free of charge, to give yourself another layer of protection.
Graham says in addition to the safety tips, a great alternative to keep your, and the property of others safe would be to consider using alternate for gift giving, like sending digital gift cards and e-transferring money instead of sending cash or cheques in a card.