Crooks use trash to target homes after Christmas

CAPE CORAL, Fla.- The day after Christmas is also a busy time — for thieves. What looks like trash to you, can look like a “welcome” sign to thieves and crooks.

The holidays are over and as people kick their empty gift boxes to the curb, criminals take to the streets.

“What we don’t want people to do, is advertise to the whole world what your son, your daughter or you might have gotten for your holiday gift,” said Sgt. Dana Coston with the Cape Coral Police Department.

Every year around this time, police want to warn you about the dangers of leaving… say the box to your brand new 50-inch TV at the foot of your driveway.

It’s something many people don’t even think about, but Sharene Chauza knows it makes houses easy targets for burglars.

“I was driving around and noticing at the curbside after Christmas all the boxes. You can tell what they have in the house cause it’s displayed on the front yard,” said Chauza.

Police say the easiest way to keep yourself from falling victim is to take the time to break those boxes down and put them inside your recycling bin.

“That reduces the likelihood of people being able to drive by and basically shop and see what you may have in your house,” said Sgt. Coston.

“I think we forget sometimes to be careful because there’s not nice people out there,” said Chauza.

If you have too many boxes, and not enough room in the can, police say it’s not a bad idea to hold on to them and wait a week to throw them out when the “shoppers” are less active.

Police also say make sure you shred any receipts or papers that might have personal identification information on them before throwing them in the trash.