Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
Police to public: Don’t get your new iPhone delivered
Weston and Needham police are warning people not to have their new iPhones delivered to their homes after a rash of porch thefts.
Police in two Massachusetts communities have a warning for anyone buying new iPhones: don’t have them delivered to your house.
Weston and Needham police recently reported numerous thefts of the pricey technology over the last few weeks, with thieves allegedly swiping iPhones from people’s porches just moments after delivery.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Needham police said FedEx trucks are being trailed by thieves who wait for the new iPhones to be dropped off. Within five minutes after the FedEx driver leaves, a suspect typically grabs the phone from the porch or driveway before the homeowner can retrieve it.
Advertisement:
Some suspects arrive dressed as Amazon drivers and swap out the iPhone package for another parcel. According to police, some suspects travel on mopeds, while others are in inconspicuous cars.
Investigators said the plot has happened “countless times across the state each and every day.”
Also on Wednesday, Weston police shared surveillance photos of a suspect they say stole an Apple iPhone 16 from a porch on Buckskin Drive. In that incident, investigators say the man grabbed the package a few minutes after FedEx dropped it off.
Weston police warned that thieves are specifically targeting Apple iPhone deliveries because they can purchase lists of where the phones are being delivered. Instead of home delivery, Weston police recommended that people ship iPhones to “a Dropbox-type location” for better security, such as the UPS Store or Staples.
Needham police also urged people to take precautions when arranging their iPhone deliveries.
Advertisement:
“We are asking people to ask that their package REQUIRE a signature, attempt to have someone home to take in the package, or simply go to the store itself to get a phone,” Needham police wrote in their post. “You can also have the packages delivered to a local facility or Whole Foods, where you can obtain your package from a locker.”
Investigators also asked people to report any vehicles, including mopeds, that continually circle their neighborhood throughout the day.
“They are waiting for the iPhone delivery during that ‘suggested time frame of delivery,’” police warned.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com