A Sign of the Season: Package Thefts

As Maplewoodians busily prepare for the upcoming holidays, Maplewood Police say that two package thefts were reported in the last week.

The first occurred on Dec. 15, when a Valley Street resident reported someone had removed clothing valued at $100 from a package that had been delivered to his residence at approximately 1:33 p.m.

Then, on Dec. 19, a Parker Avenue resident reported a package containing a pair of Ugg boots had been taken after being delivered by UPS on Dec. 2.

A small consolation: Reported incidents are much lower in Maplewood than in some other Patch towns. of stolen packages in the last few weeks. However, police note residents don't always alert police to package thefts — instead contacting only UPS, FedEx or USPS to track packages.

Sgt. Dean Naddeo of the Maplewood Police recommends, "Request that UPS, Fedex, USPO etc. do not leave packages. They should be asked to either deliver to an approved neighbor or be left at the Post Office for pickup."

Residents should also be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the .