Empty boxes for high-end gifts might make your house a target

Police warn that thieves can spot boxes on curb and know what’s worth taking

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Leaving empty boxes from expensive presents on the curb can put a bull's-eye on your house for bad guys in the days after Christmas, authorities warn.

Jacksonville police said they typically see an uptick in home burglaries this time of year.

News4Jax spotted lots of boxes out in the San Marco area that might have made homes tempting for thieves by giving them a clue to what was inside.

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Boxes for televisions, electronics and other high-dollar items let potential thieves know exactly what you got over the holidays, officers warn.

“Anything that would lead people to believe that you’ve got something very valuable inside your home, that just makes yourself a victim,” Jacksonville Sheriff's Office spokesman Officer Christian Hancock said.

Cutting down and folding boxes is a simple step that could go a long way toward protecting your home, police say.

“We’re all proud of the gifts that we got for Christmas, but don’t display them in such a manner as to make yourself a victim,” Hancock said. “Break those boxes up, wait till the morning of trash pick up to put them out by the curb if you have to, but if you have those recycle bins, the city gives them to you, use them. Break the boxes down, put them in those recycle bins.”

Another thing to remember, because of the holiday, your trash pickup this week is likely a day later than normal, so it’s important to make sure you keep the boxes off your curb as long as possible.


About the Author:

Lifetime Jacksonville resident anchors the 8 and 9 a.m. weekday newscasts and is part of the News4Jax I-Team.