COLLUMBUS — As the holiday season brings an influx of deliveries, package theft is surging, prompting authorities to issue reminders to remain vigilant against thieves posing as delivery drivers.
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According to the United States Postal Service (USPS), more than 58 million packages were stolen from Americans last year.
With more than seven billion packages accepted this holiday season alone, Columbus police urge residents to take precautions to protect their deliveries.
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Jason Kuhn shared his experience regarding package theft with our news partners at WBNS-TV.
“Now we’ve got to worry about things disappearing,” Kuhn said.
Last week, Kuhn discovered that a USPS package containing a Christmas gift for his wife was stolen while they slept.
“It was really early in the morning, so we didn’t get the notification or pay attention to it, but when we grabbed the package and the package was empty, that’s when we were like, ‘oh, let’s look back at the footage,’” he explained.
Kuhn’s Ring doorbell captured footage of the thief, who appeared to wear an Amazon vest and swapped Kuhn’s delivery with an empty box.
He noted that the gift stolen was a watch holder meant for his wife.
“The Christmas gift was a watch holder for my wife for Christmas, and then she had to spill the beans on what it was because we’re going to have to file a claim with Etsy,” he remarked, emphasizing the hassle involved in the process.
Kuhn summarized the emotional impact by saying, “The Grinch stole the surprise and the Christmas gift.”
In response to the theft, he reported it to Etsy and mentioned he would also report it to the Columbus police after speaking with a news reporter.
Amazon has acknowledged the issue of theft, stating, “While the vast majority of deliveries make it to customers without issue, we recognize that, unfortunately, there are bad actors who wear look-alike apparel to steal packages from customers’ homes.”
They encourage all victims of package theft to report incidents to law enforcement.
As the holiday shopping increases, Columbus police remind residents that package theft is classified as a felony in Ohio.
They advise residents to avoid leaving packages unattended for extended periods and suggest secure delivery options such as having items sent to a workplace, pickup location, or trusted neighbor.
Additionally, they recommend using signature-required services or requesting deliveries out of plain view.
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