How to keep your holiday deliveries safe from theft
The holiday season is ramping up which means more deliveries arriving at your doorstep. Make sure your gifts make it safely into your hands with a few smart precautions from the Menlo Park Police Department.
Here are some ways to protect your packages this season:
- Request a “signature delivery option” to require a signature when the packages are delivered.
- Request a specific drop-off time and date when you will be home to accept your packages.
- Arrange to have your packages held at the shipping service so you can pick them up.
- Choose to deliver packages to the home of a relative or neighbor who will be available to accept them.
- Ask to have your packages delivered to a retail store to pick them up at your convenience.
- Ask a trustworthy neighbor to keep a “watchful eye” out for your packages. If they are willing, ask them to safeguard your packages until you return home.
Stay safe, shop smart and enjoy a worry-free holiday season! For more information visit our Holiday Safety Tips page.
Ardan Michael Blum December 04, 2025 at 5:12 pm
For many years, across the creek, I was a member of the Palo Alto Police Chief’s advisory committee. One clear lesson was that property criminals are opportunists looking for the path of least resistance. They want ‘easy.’ Making your home look even slightly ‘harder’ —lights on, packages hidden, or visible neighbors— is usually enough to make them skip you.
Also, trust your gut. If a car looks out of place or is tailing a delivery truck, call the non-emergency line. You aren’t being a nuisance; that partnership is the key to safety.