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Christmas trash could attract thieves, police say

Your exciting Christmas present of a TV, laptop or Playstation could attract thieves to your home.

Your exciting Christmas present of a TV, laptop, or Playstation, could attract thieves to your home.

Pflugerville Police Sergeant Jared Thyssen said boxes outside someone's home may show you have a new gift -- and can attract criminals.

“If we have boxes out at someone’s curb line, that could be something that criminals clue in on to help them decide which houses to break into,” said Thyssen.

He suggests another way.

"If you can take some of your bigger boxes and break them down and cut them up, residents here in the city of Pflugerville have recycling bins they can put these boxes in, so it's not just sitting out there at the curb line, so that way criminals driving through the neighborhoods won't be able to readily recognize who has these new high-dollar items,” said Thyssen.

He also suggests taking the boxes to a drop-off recycling location.

To protect your home, Thyssen suggests an alarm system, exterior lighting, trim back bushes and trees, and limit the visual access someone has to look inside your home.

He also recommends writing down the serial number for all your items. That way, if they do get stolen, he said they are able to solve the case more easily and return your items.

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