Free Services Help Keep Deliveries Out Of Thieves' Hands
TORRANCE (CBSLA.com) — With the holiday shopping season ramping up, doorstep package thefts are on the rise, but there are free services to help shoppers manage their deliveries and keep them out of thieves' hands.
Police say a woman drove past a home in the 3800 block of Newton in Torrance Friday morning before knocking on the door and walking away with a UPS delivery in hand.
The public's help was sought Tuesday to find the thief, described as a white woman, thin to regular build, with long, blonde hair in a ponytail, wearing sunglasses, a green T-shirt, jeans and holding a coffee cup. She was seen getting out of and back into a dark (gray, green or black) Toyota Tacoma pick-up truck with four doors and a bed cover.
It's not necessary, however, to camp out at home when a shipment is pending. FedEx, UPS and the Postal Service all offer free tools that will allow residents to control their deliveries – even the surprises sent from Aunt Millie.
Consumers who want more control over their deliveries can sign up for UPS My Choice, FedEx's Delivery Manager or the Postal Service's My USPS. Each service – offered for free -- allows users to sign up to register their home address and sign up for notification emails or text messages for when a package is on the way and where it should be left – side door, back door or with a neighbor – or whether it should be delivered to another address.
Both UPS and FedEx's services also allow for packages to be held at the shipper's location, and My USPS will also allow consumers to schedule a re-delivery online.
In the Torrance theft, anyone with information about the suspect or the theft can call the Torrance Police Department at (310) 618-5570.