Greenwich Police Warn Residents To Look Out For Phony Packages

GREENWICH, CT — Police said a mailbox on Lockwood Lane was damaged Sunday after someone tried to take mail from it. In light of this and other recent crimes involving mail in town, police remind residents to be on the lookout for any packages delivered to their house that they did not order.

According to Lt. Mark Zuccerella, residents should be wary of any packages addressed in their name that they did not order, as it could indicate a person has stolen an identity and is using the home as a drop off point. (To sign up for Greenwich breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

"Usually it's a third party and someone else is paying for [the item]," Zuccerella said, "and they've been the victim of identity theft somewhere."

In May, a package delivered to a home on Pemberwick Road turned out to be sneakers ordered by someone using the resident's address, name and bank account.

At the time, Zuccerella said the department had seen an increase in bogus packages being delivered to homes in town, in which a thief will steal a resident's mail and obtain a credit card, then purchase goods and intercept them before the homeowner notices.

"Or, they steal someone's ID, buy goods and have them shipped to a vacant house and take it when [the item is] dropped off," Zuccerella said in an email to Patch.

Anyone who receives a delivery in their name they did not purchase or witnesses a car pick up packages from a vacant porch is encouraged to contact the department at 203-622-8004.