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That Special Something

When I can’t find what I need locally, I shop online, so the other day I downloaded an Amazon app for my phone. What an amazing gadget! This app anticipates what I want and allows me to buy something special with the single push of a button–guaranteed to be on my doorstep within 24 hours.

But I have to be careful: while it couldn’t be easier to get these packages to our doorsteps, keeping them from thieves can be a bit harder. Left unattended, these attractive packages can vanish just as quickly as they arrive. To avoid losing your special packages so close to Christmas, consider the following tips:

  1. If your employer will allow it, have packages delivered to your office.

  2. Have packages delivered to a place where they can be received in person (by a trusted neighbor or retired family member who is home during the day).

  3. Ask the shipper to hold your package at their pick-up facility so you pick it up in person.

  4. If you’re purchasing something from a large retailer, consider having your package delivered to the store.

  5. Request a specific delivery date and time so you can plan to be home.

  6. Provide instructions to the shipper so packages can be left in a safe location that isn’t visible from the street.

  7. Sign up for delivery alerts (text messages or emails) from the shipper and call a trusted friend to pick up and hold your package until you can retrieve it.

While some Christmas gifts are difficult (or impossible) to find in town, I strongly encourage you to look for gifts from local businesses as often as you can. We’ve all been encouraged to “Buy Local,” but sometimes people wonder if it really makes a difference. I can tell you: it does!

Spending our dollars with local businesses not only guarantees our packages won’t be lost in transit, buying locally helps keep our friends and neighbors employed. As the holidays approach, now is the perfect time to buy fantastic gifts right here in Ukiah. 

Buying local goods supports the idea of community; so does getting to know your neighbors. There’s no better time than the holidays to introduce yourself to the people who live on your street. Getting to know your neighbors can be really fun—it can also help prevent crime.

The idea is simple: neighbors know the neighborhood; they know what’s normal and what might be cause for concern. Most importantly, neighbors can act as a neighborhood’s eyes and ears, helping local police officers prevent and solve crimes. If you see something out of the ordinary, consider reporting that activity right away. Your call will make your neighborhood safer; and who knows, it might even help us keep Christmas presents on doorsteps where they belong until we get home.

Speaking of the holidays, I hope you noticed the Ukiah Daily Journal’s Food Bank Fund Drive. I wish I had words to explain how incredibly important this drive is in delivering food to those who would otherwise go hungry in our community.

If you have donated already, thank you! If you haven’t yet, please consider it.  

Your donation means that local families will have a place to turn so they can put food on their table this year. Like many communities, ours struggles to support those in need, and our local food bank is a vital part of helping those with nowhere else to turn. When people have enough food to eat and a place to sleep, it helps prevent crime. Your donations to our local food bank make our community a safer place—and a better place to live for everyone.

Drop off a check payable to the Ukiah Food Bank at the Ukiah Daily Journal office at 617 S. State Street.

As always, our mission at UPD is simple: to make Ukiah as safe as possible. If you have suggestions on how we can improve please feel free to call me. If you would like to know more about crime in your neighborhood, you can sign up for telephone, cell phone and email notifications by clicking the Nixle button on our website: www.ukiahpolice.com. 

 

 


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