With theft one of the more common crimes in Sammamish and the holidays right around the corner, police are warning residents to be cautious of Grinches.

“In the past, we have seen would-be thieves simply following delivery vehicles around neighborhoods, so it’s also worth reminding people to give us a call if they see suspicious people or vehicles in the neighborhood,” said Administrative Sergeant Sullivan.

During the last holiday season just five packages were reported taken from doorsteps in Sammamish. According to Sullivan, five packages have already been reported taken from doorsteps this holiday season.

Sullivan advises residents to follow simple rules as recommended by Consumer Reports when having packages delivered to their doorsteps:

• Choose a shipping option that requires you to sign for delivery.

• Check on the package’s delivery status online so you can try to be home when it arrives.

• Leave a note asking the delivery service to leave the package with a neighbor.

• Have the package shipped to another location where someone can receive it, like your office or a friend’s home.

• Ask the delivery service to hold your package for customer pick-up.

• File a theft report immediately if you think your package was stolen, and contact your credit card company to find out if it offers a purchase-protection service that might reimburse you for stolen purchases.

Sullivan also warns that car prowls also increase significantly this time of year.

“The message there is lock your vehicles, remove any packages from the car or store them in a trunk,” she said.