Warning for people expecting parcels
With many people choosing to buy presents online this Christmas, NZ Post and Police have issued warnings for people to be vigilant, least their parcel go wandering.
NZ Post and police have issued a joint statement that includes tips on how to keep sent items secure, with an estimated two million parcels being delivered weekly in the lead up to Christmas.
If you order a parcel and suspect you might not be home when it is delivered, there are options. NZ Post’s strategic contracts and relationships general manager James Purdie said there were delivery options.
“If you’re not going to be home, there’s our leave my parcel service, where you can tell us a safe spot to leave your parcel on your property,” he said.
Alternatively, a parcel could be sent direct to any NZ Post location.
Police were also urging the public to report any thefts from letterboxes immediately. If a parcel is stolen after NZ Post completes delivery of the item, the theft becomes a police matter and needs to be reported to the police.
Other top tips to reduce the risk of mail theft include:
■ Clear your letterbox in a timely manner
■ Put a hold on your mail delivery if you’re going away
■ Provide clear delivery instructions for couriers to leave a package safely hidden or secured within your property
■ Install security cameras and/or security camera messaging near your letterbox or front of property
■ Where practical consider click and collect over delivery
Police were encouraging anyone noticing suspicious activity, such as people loitering around letterboxes or properties, to contact police immediately by phoning 105 or submitting a 105 report online.
Police were also encouraging people to join a Neighbourhood Support group as it can be a good way to deter theft.
Insurance company AMI also warned people to be wary as the Christmas period was busiest time of the year for theft claims.
Almost 20% of all theft insurance claims occured between December and January, the latter consistently the top single month for all theft claims. “Typically, we see a spike in theft claims during summer,” said AMI Executive General Manager Consumer Brands Paula ter Brake.
“It’s likely that this is a popular time for thieves because that’s when a lot of people are away on holiday,” she said.
The top items stolen during the festive period are clothes, tools, and phones, although sporting equipment, bikes, and electronics feature too.
“From what we can tell from the claims data, it looks like small, portable items are often taken... you might think that your shoes or bags aren’t going to be targets, but unfortunately, they are.”
Surprisingly, makeup also features on the stolen item list, with 2249 claims for toiletries and makeup over the past five years. Even Christmas gifts are not off limits, with 75 percent of all claims for gifts taken from cars, and some occasional instances from underneath Christmas trees.
There was also an increase in stolen bags in December, bags lost or left under seats at restaurants or at parties.
Interestingly, parcel theft bucks the festive trend. Despite the higher number of deliveries in December, claims tend to remain relatively stable throughout the year.
“It’s hard to say from insurance data if parcel thefts increase in December as not all parcel thefts will result in an insurance claim. However, we do have several claims for parcels that were taken while a house was being burgled, and a few instances where parcels were taken from the whole street,” she said.
Meanwhile, 10 percent of all car theft or damage claims that occurred in shopping carparks happened in December.
“December is a common time for cars to be stolen or damaged while shopping – which is probably because that’s when we spend a lot more time parked in shopping carparks,” she said.
“Overall, the festive season unfortunately brings a spike in theft claims. As always, lock up your belongings, keep them out of sight, and keep in touch with your neighbours; but if the worst happens, AMI’s claims team will be available throughout the holiday season if you need us.”