Thieves Steal Holiday UPS Deliveries In Highlands Ranch
HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. (CBS4) - Police in Douglas County say in the past two weeks thieves have stolen packages that are being delivered by UPS.
Officials in the sheriff's office say the crimes were reported in Parker and Highlands Ranch. They say some of the packages were stolen off doorsteps.
Douglas County Undersheriff Tony Spurlock said his department believes the thieves have been following the UPS trucks and then taking the packages after the driver delivers them.
"When that delivery truck leaves, they hop out, grab the package and leave," Spurlock said.
UPS officials say their drivers are hiding the packages as best they can, but they suggest to residents that it might be a good idea to have a neighbor sign for deliveries if they won't be home at the expected time of a delivery.
Jeremy Dingle told CBS4 thieves stole packages from the porch of his parents' house in Highlands Ranch.
"There was supposed to be a package and I guess the package wasn't here so they called UPS and it definitely got dropped off and everything, and apparently it got stolen," Dingle said.
UPS Manager Jerry Foster says a new $5 service called My Choice can help to deter criminals.
"It can (direct a driver) exactly where they want the package delivered, either to the side door, the front door or the garage, or redirect it," Foster said.
Spurlock said his department would like residents to be on the lookout for any vehicle that appears to be tailing a UPS truck and possibly trying to steal packages.
UPS says they expect to deliver as many as 260,000 packages per day in the Denver metro area as it gets closer to Christmas.
