MEMPHIS, Tenn. — As Christmas Day comes to an end, families will start placing empty boxes outside for trash pick-up. But before they do, they should beware of a Grinch or two who might be out looking for their own gifts.
“Somebody could ride through and say, ‘hey, that would be a good house to hit,’" said Sheriff Bryan Bailey, Rankin County Sheriff’s Office.
Mid-South law enforcement agencies say while you and your family are enjoying the holiday, would-be-crooks could be out looking for the next home to strike.
Before people start placing empty boxes outside their homes, they should be mindful of the message you could be sending. Boxes could give potential thieves an idea of what might be inside a person's home and tell them whether it is worth breaking into.
Memphis residents like Brett Selly say they are mindful of the boxes they set out and usually they wait to do so.
"If you do have something big like a TV you want to make sure you're setting it out on the day so it's not sitting outside of your house for a week,” said Selly.
We also caught up with John Brinkman who's in Memphis visiting family.
Brinkman says he is always pretty mindful of what he puts out on the curb.
"It's usually not on Christmas. It's usually just any time during the year,” said Brinkman.
The Shelby County Sheriff's Office issued a warning on Christmas Eve, reminding residents to be careful this holiday season.
Deputies suggest breaking down the boxes and cutting some of them up.