Thieves hunting for presents on porches

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Christmas is coming early for thieves who are on the hunt for your presents.

South Austin homeowners say crooks are casing their neighborhoods looking for packages on porches.

"Maybe it's people just wanting to take advantage of the situation," said Bryan Jinnett. "Others looking for gifts to give their families or pawn - I'm not real sure to be quite honest."

Bryan was hit by the holiday Grinch. Last week, UPS left a box on his doorstep. A neighbor found it open and tossed in their yard.

"It sounds like whoever took it from my front porch opened it up, went through it, realized it wasn't really anything of value," said Jinnett. "I don't think anybody wants uniforms."

It was a delivery Bryan had ordered for his job. He typically gets two to three packages delivered to his doorstep each week, and has never had problems before.

Another homeowner found two more shipping boxes dumped behind their neighborhood park. One box was empty and the other one still had items inside.

Stolen packages around the holiday season is not a shock to Kyle Scheumack. He works at the UPS store on Guadalupe near the University of Texas campus.

He likes to tell customers to have deliveries shipped to his UPS store.

"We do charge five dollars to do that, but it's better than losing your $800 iPhone," said Scheumack.

There are several other safe options for deliveries:

• have boxes shipped to your workplace
• have boxes delivered to the front office of apartment complexes
• require that someone sign for the package

Contact law enforcement in your area if you believe a package has been stolen. If it was delivered by the U.S. Postal Service you can call the Austin postal inspector, Mike Sullivan, at (512) 342-1563.