PSA: Don’t Show Empty Valuable Boxes to Thieves
Holidays usually mean lots of gifts, which means getting rid of lots of empty grocery boxes. When throwing away the boxes, make sure that you are not exposing potential thieves to all the expensive items that are currently in your house.
According to officer Rob Zink of the St. Paul Police Department , thieves will drive up and down streets and alleys to inspect houses that they want to rob later. They look for evidence of valuable items, such as empty boxes, and write down the addresses of houses that might be good targets. For example, if you have empty boxes with a fancy TV, game console, and a new tablet, your home probably looks like a great target. Mary Beth Quirk of Consumerist recommends either cutting up the cardboard boxes, folding them inside out so their labels are hidden, or making sure they are completely hidden in the trash can. It also doesn’t hurt to wait until the day of trash to sort out secret or cut boxes.
Reminder: Don’t Put Empty Christmas Gift Boxes By The Roadside | Consumer