Full Notification

With an increase in online shopping - and, therefore shipping - you are encouraged to put practices in place to outsmart package thieves.

How to Avoid Being a Victim of a Package Theft

• Order well ahead of the holiday
• Deliver to a work address, ship to a locker (available at some grocers and convenience stores) or obtain via retailer curbside pick-up
• If shipping to your home, use a post office box, request signature on delivery or install a secure mailbox for deliveries
• Create a concealed delivery spot at your residence and provide instructions about where packages should be left
• Request ordinary, nondescript packaging
• Insure valuable items
• Set up text or email notifications for up-to-date package tracking
• Retrieve the package as soon as it arrives - possibly, with assistance from a neighbor, family member or friend
• Consider installing a security camera(s) or video doorbell, and advertise that you have a security system
• Encourage your neighbors to watch for deliveries and agree to secure each other's packages 
• Stay vigilant!  Report suspicious activity to the Police Department by calling the non-emergency phone line at (408) 615-5580. Public Safety Dispatchers will want to know details of the suspicious activity, suspect(s) description, vehicle details and direction of travel. Should you happen to witness a package theft, do not approach the suspect. Instead, be a good witness and dial 9-1-1 immediately

Residents should be aware that many shipping carriers contract with independent carriers to help deliver items during the peak season. These independent carriers typically drive their own vehicles that do not have affiliation markers.
If you may have fallen victim to package theft, take the following actions:

• Check to see if the purchase was charged to your credit card
• Confirm with your delivery company that your package was actually delivered
• Check with your neighbors to see if they picked up the item(s) on your behalf for safe keeping 

If you have fallen victim to a theft, take the following steps:

• Identify which package was stolen and what the contents of that package were
• Check your security camera for footage of the theft
• File an online police report at www.scpd.org
• Contact the company you ordered the item(s) from about the lost or stolen merchandise
• File a claim with the delivery service
• Contact your credit card company to see if you have purchase protection for stolen items
• Alert your neighbors about the theft and request any video they may have of the theft