Neighborly advice

As we enter the busy holiday season please keep in mind that there are people, even in our friendly village, who take advantage of others by stealing packages or mail from residential areas.

Last week in our Gird Valley neighborhood we had an incident of someone coming through during the middle of the night ransacking mailboxes, taking incoming and outgoing mail. Likely looking for money or checks that they could cash or steal to use bank account numbers.

One of our neighbors, a few blocks away, was awakened at 3 a.m. and noticed a parked car and a man taking mail out of his mailbox. He yelled at the man who jumped in the car and left.

The next day our postal carrier stopped to talk with us and indicated that the culprits had gone through mailboxes all around the area. They had thrown mail opened and unopened along Gird Road. We’ve also heard reports about packages being stolen when left at front doors.

In any case, be mindful of the possibilities. Don’t put mail in your neighborhood mail box until close to time your postal carrier typically picks up. Also watch for incoming mail and packages vs. leaving in the box or at your doorstep.

Brenda Dodd