CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Many will be heading out of town for the holiday, there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to protecting your home and the packaged you get delivered there.
Corpus Christi Police Department Lt. Jorge Coello said that there are many different things residents can do to prevent unwanted visitors from making their way onto your property while you're away.
"What I mean by that is making sure you still have lights on, that there's a vehicle in the driveway, having your neighbors check your mail so that it doesn't appear like there's nobody there," he said. "You know, making seem like it's occupied even when it may not be."
Coello said that not keeping your home well lit can create crimes of opportunity for criminals.
"They may case an area and say 'This person hasn't turned their lights on for three days. They may not be home. Most criminals don't like the light, so they'll stay in the dark," he said.
For any packages you may be getting delivered to your home this season, Coello said residents should try and get them off your porch as soon as possible or coordinate deliverers with the mail carrier.
"See if they're able to offer timed deliveries," he said. "You know, making sure that they're actually going to be at their home when the package gets delivered. Or if not, making sure that your getting those notifications that your package has been delivered and maybe reaching out or going to a neighbor, or family member to go pick it up."
When it comes to shopping and storing Christmas gifts, Coello said that keeping your car doors locked and gifts out of sight is key to protecting both your vehicle and the gifts.
"Once they get to a location, make sure that they're not creating crimes of opportunity. One of the things that most criminals are, they're looking for opportunities," he said. "They're looking for something they can smash and grab. They're not going to spend time digging through a car."
Now with Christmas Day getting closer and closer, it can be easy to get caught up in the rush of it all. So when out shopping, CCPD said that it's important to pay close attention to your surroundings, especially since there will be an increase in both vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
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