‘Tis the Season for Package Thefts

New Haven police spokesman Officer David B. Hartman turns out to be a poet and in this case for a good cause. In a release Friday, as the holiday season officially gets underway, the longtime city officer shared the following work as a polite warning to folks:

 

‘Tis a month until Christmas in the City of Elm

And the larceny stats would not overwhelm

Block Watches and citizens were on the look-out

For despicable thieves who were lurking about

 

The crooks look for trucks of the delivery style

And follow their drivers in a manner so vile.

From East Rock to Westville they rudely stop by

To see what nice parcels are on your lanai

 

The Chief is committed to keep you abreast

Of Grinches who deserve to be under arrest

Safeguard your goodies so as not to get stressed

By a criminal element that must be suppressed.

 

- Officer David B. Hartman

 

 

Also noted in the release is (unedited here and posted a public service):

 

 "The New Haven Police Department is hoping this holiday season will see fewer thefts of packages and other property crimes. Last year’s statistics were an improvement on previous years. We’re hoping the trend continues.

 

 

Holiday shoppers are not alone out there. Grinches continue trolling for your gifts and are not as easily detected as one might think.

 

These thefts are generally perpetrated by opportunists who look like the average pedestrian but can commit their crimes within seconds.

 

Please phone Police if you see people following delivery trucks, suspicious people casing homes and businesses or strangers on the prowl in your neighborhood."

 

Here are some helpful tips:

 

• Require a signature upon delivery.
• Request a tracking number and delivery confirmation.
• Insure your packages.
• Specify delivery instructions, indicating where the package should be left.
• Arrange to pick up packages at the post office or delivery service location.
• Ship packages to your workplace, if the company allows it.
• Ask a friend or neighbor to look out for your order and accept & pick up your packages.
• If you are sending a package, let the person you are sending it to know that it is coming and when to expect it to arrive. Follow up to make sure it was received.

 

If you suspect that your package was lost or stolen, you should:

 

• First, check outside your residence (or other delivery address) to see if the package was placed out of sight, such as in the hedges, by the garage or on the porch.
• Ask your neighbors if they witnessed the delivery or if the shipper accidentally delivered the package to them.
• Contact the shipper first to be sure the items were sent properly. If you determine that the shipper was not at fault, file a complaint with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
• File a police report.

 

If you made the purchase with a credit card:

 

• Federal law allows consumers to dispute charges for credit card purchases if they are damaged or stolen.
• Consumers whose good faith attempts with merchants have failed should contact their credit card issuers to reverse the credit card transaction.
• Most credit card issuers offer purchase protection, which protects items against theft or damage for a specified period of time (usually 90 days). Check with your credit card company to see if you are covered.

 

 

Officer David B Hartman, Media Liaison

Office of the Chief

Headquarters

New Haven Police Department

1 Union Avenue

New Haven, CT 06519

 

Office - 203-946-6285

Department Mobile - 203-589-3238

dhartman@newhavenct.gov