Selling or buying items online this holiday season? Stay safe by using the township’s Safe Transaction Zone in front of the municipal building, 1 Municipal Drive.
The well-lit lobby is also available and open during business hours and can be accessed after hours by utilizing the call box located to the left of the front entrance.
Here are a few safety tips to keep in mind when conducting such transactions:
- Only do transactions with local buyers/sellers.
- Do not go to a transaction alone.
- Make sure a friend or family member is aware of the transaction details.
- Insist on meeting in a public area like our safe transaction zone.
- Do not go into someone else’s house, and do not allow them into yours.
- Complete the transaction during daylight hours.
- Be extra cautious when buying or selling valuable items such as vehicles and jewelry.
- Only use cash or money orders to complete your transactions.
- Trust your instincts, if it sounds like a scam, it probably is.
- If somebody is not willing to come to the police department to conduct a transaction, then it is likely not a legitimate transaction.
The holiday season brings an increase in package shipments to local residences. Packages left outside homes can become a tempting target for criminals. The Bordentown Township Police Department urges residents to report any suspicious vehicles or activity in their neighborhoods and offers the following security tips for holiday package theft prevention:
Tips for using USPS as your shipping provider:
- Don’t leave delivered mail and packages unattended.
- If you’re going out of town, put your mail on hold at your local post office.
- Ship using ‘Hold for Pickup’ – Those receiving packages can redirect incoming packages shipped via the USPS to their local post office.
- Customize delivery – Customers can provide delivery instructions online and authorize the carrier to leave the package in a specified location.
- Secure the shipment using USPS Special Services such as Signature Confirmation or Registered Mail.
Tips for using a Private Courier Service
(UPS, FedEx, DHL, Amazon, etc.):
- Take advantage of package tracking, which can notify you when your package is delivered.
- Consider installing Security Cameras to help keep track of activity at your front door.
- Consider using a Porch Lock Box and provide your delivery driver access to ensure package protection.
- Many companies offer free delivery manager services that you can use to track packages, redirect packages to convenient locations for pickup, request vacation holds and more.
- Consider having packages delivered to your workplace or to the house of a trusted friend that will be home when the package is delivered.
- To prevent your package being stolen off the front porch, side door, back porch, or garage area, ask for signature delivery.
- Consider purchasing insurance for your precious holiday parcels. Ensuring your packages guarantees you a reimbursement if the delivery was stolen or lost.