Thieves have a special target when it comes to the holidays -- they're taking off with people’s packages and mail.
Joe McGloin had a package stolen on Wednesday right from his mailbox. He’d put the flag up to show the postal carrier there was something inside, instead, he placed a target for thieves.
“It’s just something that people don’t think about,” he said, “I didn’t think about it."
A Centennial woman shared with Denver7 surveillance footage taken from her home that shows a black SUV pull up to her mailbox earlier this week.
In the video, you can see a woman open the mailbox, place something inside, only to take a letter out of the box and take off.
The woman tells Denver 7 there was nothing of value or any personal information inside the letter, but she says it could have been a lot worse.
The package inside McGoin’s mailbox only had a used book.
A spokesperson from the Arapahoe County Sheriffs' Office says a handful of package thefts have been reported around the county.
They range from thieves taking off with packages left on front porches to thieves taking mail from the mailbox with the flag lifted up.
"This time of year you just got to be extra careful,” said McGoin.
The Arapahoe Sheriff’s Office recommends people not lift the flag up on their mailbox even if there’s mail inside.
They also recommend people leave note for the postal carrier, requiring a signature before they deliver a package.
“There’s enough things that stress people out this time a year without having to worry about packages going in and coming out,” said McGoin.
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