Just in time for the upcoming holiday season, police are on the lookout for what could be described as a real-life Grinch stealing packages from outside homes.
The packages can be irresistible to thieves who see them sitting unattended.
It’s sometimes difficult to be at home when a package arrives, but Amazon has a plan in place locally to help hide your items until you are able to get them. Several local retailers are now playing host to Amazon Lockers.
"It's offering shoppers a safe way to come and pick up their packages, to return them to a time and place that is convenient for them," Irving Mall's Annette Fonseca said.
Irving Mall has had the lockers for about three weeks and representatives said they are already popular. The large yellow lockers can also be found at select 7-Eleven and Quick Trip store locations around North Texas.
The concept is simple. Customers have orders shipped to the locker nearest their home or office and they can retrieve the package at a convenient time.
“It will give you the options; which location is closest to you. So, you select that and after that it will give you a code. With that code, you come here and enter it into the computer and after it's ready you come here to pick it up and it's just a waiting game to see which locker is the one that is going to open up," Fonseca said.
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Retailers believe it is not only a crime-deterrent but also a benefit to the hosting locations.
"It's definitely adding a dimension to the Irving Mall's role of family shopping destination, dining and spending time together," Fonseca said. "Definitely a great addition."
With the lockers, malls like Irving Mall aren’t competing with online retailers. They are partnering with the online giant which could generate more foot traffic during the busy holiday season and possibly beyond.
Maps of locker locations are available online at Amazon.com.
