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The holiday season is in full swing, and with trends in online shopping increasing, there are growing concerns about package theft.
A 2017 study from Shorr Packaging Corp, showed that 31 percent of people surveyed had experienced package theft. In 2018, the company performed another study that found Sacramento to be the third worst city in California for Amazon package theft. Nationally, Sacramento ranked in at number 10.
It's a trend that Sacramento Police spokesman Officer Marcus Basquez has noticed as well. He says their department sees an increase in package theft around this time.
In places like San Francisco, which was number one in California for Amazon package theft, the study said the high concentration of wealth could translate into more packages available to steal or potentially more high-value targets.
What to do when a package gets stolen
Hundreds of millions of packages are going to be delivered during the holiday season by the United States Postal Service, UPS, and FedEx this year.
With an increase in package theft during the holidays, here’s what to do when your package gets stolen.
1. Contact the original shipper or shipping company:
Here are some common customer service numbers:
- Amazon- 1- 888-280-4331
- UPS – 1-800-742-5877
- FedEx – 1-800-463-3339
- USPS – 1-800-275-8777
Once you confirm what happened to the package, the company can then assess any opportunities for reimbursement or reshipment.
2. Report it to the police
According to Officer Basquez, reporting stolen packages is something that some people don’t do, whether it’s because of time issues or just being busy. He added that underreporting of these incidents is an issue that the department continues to face.
“In order for us to be proactive and know what areas are affected, we do truly want to encourage people to make sure they do report everything,” said Basquez.
After confirming that a package was stolen, people should report it to their police department.
In Sacramento, one of the easier ways is to report online. If you don’t have access to an internet connection, you can always visit Sacramento police headquarters, located 5770 Freeport Blvd #100, Sacramento, CA 95822.
You’ll get a report number and can even use the opportunity to drop off any security video.
Why you should report it to the police
“We want to know what areas are more affected than others so that way we are proactive, and we want to make sure our patrol officers are out there… being visible, patrolling the areas that are most affected,” Basquez said.
“You can have a certain area and there’s only 10 percent that called, then that’s all we have,” he added. “We really encourage people to please report the incidents.”
It's suggested that reports be made as soon as possible after the package is confirmed to have been stolen.
When making a report, important information to note will be a date, time, and the location the package was stolen from. In addition, the police appreciate any additional details on the incident, like any suspicious activity or vehicles that neighbors might have seen. The Sacramento police non-emergency number is 916-808-5471.
How to avoid package theft during the holidays
“Just be vigilant,” remarked Basquez. “If you’re home during the day and you happen to see any suspicious activity, do not hesitate to call the police.”
Shipping companies like UPS and FedEx can also offer a number of options to help people avoid package theft.
These companies allow you to ship to another address where a friend or family member will be present, adjust delivery times, require a signature on delivery, leave the driver instructions for delivery, and pick up packages at site locations.
Officer Basquez also suggests security cameras as a deterrent for homes wanting to avoid package theft. These cameras can lessen the chance of a home getting burgled, and some cities even have programs in place that allow you to register your cameras with the police department, which lets them know they can contact you and request a video of a nearby incident if necessary.