Community Corner

Don't Let Mailman's Gift Get Stolen

Personally deliver your holiday gifts to the mailman, newspaper delivery person, trash and recycling people so thieves don't usurp the presents.

Criminals don't care what season it is, so don't leave intriguing items in plain sight to be stolen, that's the lesson the several law enforcement agencies are delivering this month.

According to crime specialist Dave Crozier of the Monterey County Sheriff's Department, one common, yet unexpected crime this time of year is theft of gifts left for your everyday visitors — mail carriers, garbage pick-up people, pool service personnel and newspaper delivery people. Gifts left overnight or anywhere out in the open are a prime target of thieves.

"Every year theft reports are made regarding removal of gifts attached to refuse containers and mailboxes," the sheriff's office said in a prepared statement. "This shameful and thoughtless act can be stopped."

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So if you don't want your cookies, sweater, or whatever you're giving to your daily deliverers to get stolen, think hard about your own method of delivery. You could learn your deliverer's schedule so you can hand-deliver the gifts you wish to give. 

But criminals aside, winter weather is a great reason not to leave gifts outside in the afternoon.

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