Package theft is up in Newton: there were 22 reported package thefts in all of 2023, and from Jan. 1 to Oct. 31, 2024, alone there have been 28.
“In the past few weeks, we’ve had reports of thefts of packages off doorways – often right after delivery,” Newton Police Lt. Amanda Henrickson said.
Thieves will follow delivery trucks driving around and move in to steal a package as soon as the driver has left. Lately, FedEx deliveries have been the most targeted.
“We want people to be mindful of this, especially in the next few weeks, as companies offer huge sales for Black Friday and Cyber Monday,” Henrickson said, adding that sometimes people will come home to find an open box left behind, and sometimes even the contents, if the thief decided the item wasn’t worth stealing.
Henrickson advised caution particularly if your item is valuable, like an electronic device or jewelry. She suggested having it delivered directly to the post office or getting in-store pickup.
Items purchased from Amazon can be delivered to a secure Amazon locker, such as the one at the Whole Foods on Walnut Street. Another way to prevent theft is to have someone be at home when the package is delivered, or to ask a neighbor to pick it up for you.
Henrickson also suggested asking for the item be delivered to a less conspicuous place than a highly visible front porch, or asking the seller to put the item in a box that makes it less obvious what it is.
Another issue is when people get regular deliveries of certain items.
“People will scout an area and look for patterns,” Henrickson said.
Getting something delivered on the same day at the same time every week, especially if no one is home, can be risky.
Larceny in Newton has been up overall: from 122 in 2023 to 139 from January to Oct. 31 of 2024. This includes package thefts but also other kinds of theft, like taking purses or bicycles.
Henrickson directed residents to call police if their package has been stolen, but she also noted that Newton Police hasn’t made any arrests for package theft this year. While 2024 has seen some arrests related to various large scale organized theft rings in New England, these have focused on larger ticket items like catalytic converters.