Now that your Christmas presents are all unwrapped, Vernon police are warning residents to be careful of how they dispose of gift packaging to avoid giving thieves ideas about items they might want for the holidays.
When you're throwing out boxes for gifts like computers or televisions, for instance, police are advising people to break down the boxes.
"Don't advertise to potential thieves what is in your house," Vernon police said on Facebook. Break down the boxes before putting them out to the curb."
That means concealing the labels on any brand name items, including technology.
"Just a word of advice. Be wise don't advertise!!!" Break down the boxes from recent purchases so thieves don't have a shopping list of what they're looking for!!!" a meme on the police department's Facebook page reads.
Vernon police didn't say if there have been holiday theft incidents pertaining to thieves finding out what to steal in homes based on discarded boxes in the trash, but are putting the word out as a precaution.
