Neighbors are our first line of defense when crime finds its way into our neighborhood. The APD’s See Something, Say Something Campaign encourages citizens to call or text 911 to report suspicious activity–below are some guidelines. Please do not hesitate to call if you see something of concern.
An ounce of prevention starts with each of us. Below are some resources you can use to make your home safe.
Recognizing Suspicious Activity
http://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/77017-what-is-suspicious-1
Preventing Mail Theft from your Mail Box
https://www.uspis.gov/tips-prevention/mail-theft/
There are several suggestions for minimizing the chances of mail theft:
- Do not allow mail to accumulate in your mailbox.
- Retrieve your mail ASAP after delivery, optimally before dark.
- Make sure your mailbox closes tightly.
- Do not use the flag for outgoing mail.
- Buy a lockable mailbox.
- Buy a mailbox that chimes on your phone when opened.
In addition, the USPS has a service that anybody (in large metro areas) can sign up for, Informed Delivery Daily Digest. You receive a picture (scan) of every letter (but not junk mail) that is due into your mailbox on that day’s delivery. It’s extremely accurate. So, when something doesn’t show up in your mailbox that evening, you can immediately look into where it went. If a package is via USPS, the tracking number is shown as “coming soon” or “delivery today”.
Here is where you can sign up for Informed Delivery Digest.
https://informeddelivery.usps.com/box/pages/intro/start.action
If you think your mail has been stolen, notify the U.S. Postal Inspector at 877-876-2455 or at the USPS Office of the Inspector General website at https://uspsoig.gov/investigations. Theft of mail from your mailbox is a federal offense. It’s also best to file a claim as quickly as possible. In some cases, the postal service can trace a stolen gift card. In addition, file a theft report with the Atlanta Police Department, which routinely works with area postal inspectors.
Be on the lookout. If you see a car checking mailboxes, call 911. If you go out of town, stop your mail or ask a neighbor to get it while you are away.
Managing Porch Package Delivery (especially during the holidays)
Several ideas have been proposed by street captains for managing the delivery of packages to residential porches. This is particularly important during the holidays…
– Ask a nearby neighbor to be on the lookout for a package during the day while you are at work or while you are away on business or vacation.
– Use the free services offered by both UPS and Fedex; there are differences between the two offerings but both generally include:
- getting notifications about delivery
- providing instructions for the driver to “leave on the back porch” or “leave with a neighbor” who is close by – preferably within walking distance.
- requesting that package be held at a UPS/Fedex location
You have to sign up for these free services. Also, once you sign up, you can pay extra for delivery to another address, on another day, etc. Check out these options and see if one of these services might work for you.
http://www.fedex.com/us/delivery
https://www.ups.com/us/en/support/shipping-support/shipping-services.page
One key factor that is common to these approaches is getting to know your nearby neighbors. Persons who may be at home during the day include retirees, stay-at-home-Moms and Dads, persons who work from home, etc.; these folks may be willing to help.
