Residents wary of porch pirates this holiday season can opt for a service offering secure storage of their packages while they may be away from their home.

For the second consecutive year, the Sachse Police Department is offering a holiday package service that allows residents to have their packages delivered to the Public Safety Building, which is located at 3815 Sachse Road.

“The police department is excited to once again offer our holiday package service to our residents,” said Police Chief Bryan Sylvester. “This free program provides peace of mind knowing that your deliveries are being kept secure and ready for convenient pick up. I encourage our residents to make use of this program as a means to prevent package theft, fraud and other crimes of opportunity.”

Lt. Steven Doerr said the department started accepting packages Monday, Nov. 21, and will continue securing shipments until Dec. 22. Because there are officers always on duty, residents do not have to worry about a package sitting out all day while they are at work or staying outside because of a late-night delivery.

“There is someone here 24 hours a day,” Doerr said. “Whether it’s early in the morning or late at night, someone will be here to pick it up.”

Once a package arrives, the department will notify residents via a phone call to help coordinate a pick-up time. While there is no maximum amount of time the department will hold the packages, they must be picked up by Dec. 22 when the program ends.

Additionally, individuals should avoid sending overly valuable deliveries to the department or packages containing potentially fragile items, said Doerr. By avoiding these items, residents can avoid the stresses of potential damage when their high-value or fragile packages are delivered.

The department will also not accept any packages that weigh more than 50 pounds, contain weapons or have prescription drugs inside them, Doerr said.

To ensure that packages arrive at the Public Safety Building, Doerr recommends that residents use their name for the shipping address but use the department’s address — 3815 Sachse Road Suite D — along with the ZIP code 75048.

The service also has an application that can be filled out at cityofsachse.com, which will notify the department to expect a package. Individuals should also have a form of identification to prove that they are the recipients of any packages they elect to have shipped to the Public Safety Building.

For any questions about the Holiday Package Service, residents can email Public Safety Officer Michele Carter at [email protected].

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