The Cobb Police Department once again is implementing what it calls e-commerce safety zones for members of the public to conduct online holiday shopping in secure fashion.
The signs are located at all five Cobb Police precinct locations as well as headquarters (see addresses below) and are in well-lit areas monitored by video surveillance.
- Precinct One: 2380 N. Cobb Parkway Kennesaw, GA 30152
- Precinct Two: 4700 Austell Rd Austell, GA 30106
- Precinct Three: 1901 Cumberland Parkway Atlanta, GA 30339
- Precinct Four: 4400 Lower Roswell Rd Marietta, GA 30067
- Precinct Five: 4640 Dallas Highway Powder Springs, GA 30127
- Headquarters: 545 Fairground St SE Suite 101 Marietta, GA 30060
The holiday shopping season also comes with a rise in entering auto and package theft crimes.
Among the recent trends in the Cobb area are daytime vehicle break-ins at public parks, gyms and especially shopping center parking lots.
Police say that if you’ve had a financial transaction card that’s been stolen to report it immediately to your institution to have it frozen since thieves tend to go to local stores and spend as much money as they can.
Motorists are encouraged to remove all valuables, especially weapons, from view every time you park and leave your vehicle. Make sure that all doors are locked.
If you see someone breaking into a vehicle do not confront but call 911 from a safe place.
Here’s more from Cobb Police about how to minimize package theft during the holidays:
Package Thefts – What You Can Do
- Ship it to work. Keep your package off the porch in the first place. If your company allows, consider shipping your packages to your workplace instead of your home.
- Enlist a neighbor’s help. Do you have a neighbor or a friend that’s usually home? If so, see if they can wait for your package or keep an eye out for it.
- Require a signature. Consider requesting a signature for your package to be dropped off. That way, your package won’t be left on your porch exposed to potential thieves.
- Take advantage of alternative delivery options and alerts. FedEx, the U.S. Postal Service and UPS all have alternative pickup and delivery options available. Visit their websites to explore your options and update your delivery preferences. You can also sign up for delivery alerts to track your package and stay up to date on delivery times.
- Get technical. Doorbell cameras and other security cameras can be a deterrent to would be thieves and the recorded footage provides suspect and possibly their vehicle descriptions that can be used in developing investigative leads for police if a theft occurs.
- Keep your porch clear and visible. It may seem counter-intuitive, but if a thief has no place to hide, they’re less likely to take the risk of going up to your porch in the first place.
- Ask for your box to be nondescript. Ordering from a high-end store? Consider marking the “gift” checkbox when you purchase so the package comes in a plain box. You can also request this of friends and family so your box doesn’t grab attention.
- Find strength in numbers. Neighborhood groups on social media or community apps like Next door can provide your neighborhood a system for reporting suspicious activity to each other.
Related:
- Two women identified as suspects in Canton Road car fire
- Smyrna murder suspect arrested in Delk-Powers Ferry area
- East Cobb woman indicted for her mother’s strangulation death
- Suspect arrested at Roswell Road apartment after police standoff
- NE Cobb woman arrested for murder at Loch Highland home
- Man arrested after knife threat at East Cobb Wendy’s
- Cobb Sheriff: Deputy killings ‘hurt all of us’
- 3 charged at Chattahoochee NRA Sope Creek after car break-ins
- 2 Cobb sheriff’s deputies killed serving warrant; 2 arrested
- East Cobb man sentenced for child sexual exploitation
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