Worried about porch pirates this holiday season? Skowhegan police have a solution

Chief David Bucknam of the Skowhegan Law enforcement Department, shown in 2020, has spearheaded a program that lets inhabitants to have holiday getaway packages shipped to the law enforcement station and held for safekeeping until eventually they can be picked up. The system — Operation Harmless Supply — is meant to prevent the theft of deals from homes’ front porches and actions. Wealthy Abrahamson/Early morning Sentinel file

SKOWHEGAN — Porch pirates beware: Skowhegan might not be the greatest community to target this vacation time.

The Law enforcement Section for the next calendar year has instituted its Operation Harmless Supply, whereby people can have their holiday getaway packages sent to the police station as a substitute of their properties, and then decide them up in just a few days.

Police Chief David Bucknam introduced the application previous 12 months after a family member prompt he do a little something in Skowhegan to support suppress theft of deals in the course of the vacation year, a crime that is occurring increasingly across the United States as lots of more folks shop on the internet.

Bucknam explained when folks get goods on line, they can have them delivered to the Skowhegan Law enforcement Department, in care of the man or woman ordering the deal, at 225 Water St., Skowhegan, Maine 04976.

“Packages get shipped right here,” Bucknam reported, “and we like (people) to decide on them up within 3 days of shipping and delivery.”

A person has to convey a photo ID when choosing up a package, and the particular person ought to have the exact name that appears on the package deal.

“It’s definitely easy,” Bucknam stated.

The application, which started previous Monday and continues by means of Dec. 22, also will allow present givers to ensure they get the deals just before their children or other gift recipients see them, in accordance to Bucknam.

In 2019, about 1.7 million packages were being stolen or went lacking each and every working day in the United States, together with 90,000 in New York Metropolis, according to a report final 12 months by The New York Periods.

Bucknam said he started off the program late in the season previous 12 months and did not get a ton of individuals who took advantage of it, but the response he received was beneficial. This calendar year, he posted a detect about it before on the department’s Facebook web page and put up flyers to boost awareness.

The offers are placed into a home at the law enforcement station, where the alphabet is marked on the wall and offers are separated according to past names.

“When you display up with your ID, we just match it up,” Bucknam reported.

Skowhegan has not observed a large amount of package theft in the previous, but with the raising numbers nationwide, the Law enforcement Department wanted to be proactive in addressing the difficulty, in accordance to Bucknam.

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