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Melrose Police Department
Michael L. Lyle, Chief
56 W. Foster St.
Melrose, MA 02176

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Melrose Police Offer Safety Tips to Prevent Doorstep Theft During the Holidays

MELROSE — As people begin to order their holiday gifts online, Chief Michael L. Lyle and the Melrose Police Department would like to remind residents of several helpful safety tips designed to prevent packages from being stolen from porches, decks or doorsteps.

“We certainly do not want anyone’s gifts to be stolen because they were delivered to an empty home,” Chief Lyle said. “This is the time of year when we see an increase in opportunist theft, so always remember to have packages delivered to a location where someone will be home to retrieve them.”

To help with package safety, FedEx and UPS offer specific holiday services to best ensure that customers’ deliveries are protected. To avoid theft, Chief Lyle recommends that community members follow these tips:

  • Require a signature upon delivery to assure someone is there to receive your package.
  • Sign up for electronic notifications to continually monitor and track your package.
  • Schedule a specific date and time for delivery to ensure you’re home to receive your package.
  • Ask to be called when your deliveries arrive.
  • If travelling, set up a vacation hold on all deliveries to postpone their arrival.
  • Send your packages to an alternate destination, such as work or a family member’s home, to make sure someone is present to receive deliveries.

If you find that your package has been stolen, please report it to police immediately. Additionally, never accept an unexpected delivery that requires payment, and never give out personal information when receiving a package that you purchased.

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