FAIRHAVEN – With the holiday shopping season officially here, Sgt. Kevin Kobza and the Fairhaven Police Department wish to remind residents of several precautions they can take when ordering items online to help prevent their gifts from falling into the wrong hands.

“With more and more people buying gifts online, we want to make sure our residents have the necessary resources they need to ensure that their gifts arrive safely,” Sgt. Kobza said. “In many cases the orders can be tracked right from your phone, from when it is shipped to when it reaches your doorstep.”

FedEx and UPS offer services to assist customers during the holidays. To best ensure that your packages are not taken, Fairhaven Police recommend the following strategies:

• Request notifications on your deliveries, via phone or email, to monitor your packages in transit and upon delivery.
• Always require a signature on your deliveries to ensure packages are never left unattended.
• Consider sending deliveries to an alternate location where someone will be able to receive them – whether that be a workplace, a neighbor or friend’s house, or a FedEx or UPS location.
• Schedule your delivery for a specific date and time that you’re expected to be home.
• Set up a vacation hold if you plan on traveling during the holidays so gifts won’t be left on the doorstep.
•  Be aware of “tailgating,” which refers to the people who follow delivery vehicles and steal the packages after they are dropped off.
• If you find your package has been stolen, reach out to Fairhaven Police and report it immediately.
• Never accept a surprise delivery where a payment is required, and never give out personal information when receiving a delivery that you purchased.

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