Package delivery thefts reported in Ashburnham - what police want you to know

Police in Ashburnham are advising residents to be aware of recent thefts of delivered packages in the community.

A number of delivery porch thefts were reported on Tuesday, Aug. 20, according to officials. In one incident, the image of a man was captured on a resident's doorbell camera covering his face while taking a package and then getting picked up by a vehicle described as a silver or grey Honda CRV-type SUV.

The thieves appeared to be following delivery drivers through the town's neighborhoods. The incidents were occurring "townwide," according to police.

It was unclear if the thefts in town were connected, according to Chief Chris Conrad.

"It appears that the targeted packages are right after delivery drop off," he said. "The thefts are becoming more common, but these are the first of this type in Ashburnham so far."

Police: Thefts expected to rise during holiday season

Conrad said he expects the number of thefts in town to rise as the holiday season approaches.

Conrad urges residents to protect their packages from theft by installing a lockbox at their homes or utilizing a MyQ Smart Garage feature, which allows Amazon drivers to remotely open garage doors when they arrive and then they automatically close after they leave.

More: Porch thefts reported in Westminster - what police want residents to know

"Many Liftmaster Garage Doors have the MyQ app to put on your phone. This allows you to open your garage doors from anywhere," he said. "But MyQ has also teamed up with Amazon and calls this service 'Amazon Key.' Since the delivery trucks are tracked, when the truck gets to your house, the MyQ system is connected to Amazon, so the garage door you choose opens automatically so the delivery can be placed inside the garage."

Residents urged to report suspicious activity

Residents who might be able to identify the suspect or who have witnessed suspicious activity in the area are urged to contact Detective Les Holgerson at 978-827-4413.

"Paying attention to cars and getting license plates of those that may be following or stopping by delivery trucks can be helpful," Conrad said.

More: Police report rise in doorstep delivery thefts in Gardner: What you should know

The incidents follow recent similar reports of thieves targeting high value items such as clothing and electronics in Westminster and Gardner.

In some cases, individuals wearing Amazon vests were observed arriving at homes just moments after a package had been delivered and swiping it from the porch steps. Some suspects were observed carrying an empty box which they would swap out with the package originally delivered.

This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Package delivery thefts reported in Ashburnham - what police want you to know