SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) — Are you a South Kingstown resident who plans on buying the bulk of your gifts online this holiday season?
In an effort to prevent porch pirate thefts, the South Kingstown Police Department is allowing residents to ship their packages directly to the station.
“More Americans are shopping online than ever before and as a result, package theft and crimes of opportunity have increased in otherwise safe communities,” South Kingstown Police Chief Matthew Moynihan said.
Moynihan said the “Ship to Station” program will continue throughout the holiday season.
On top of that, the police chief said the department is ramping up patrols in residential neighborhoods to further deter porch pirates.
The department’s address is 1790 Kingstown Road.
Residents who wish to send their packages to the station should do the following:
- Include your name and “Attn: Ship to Station” at checkout when making online purchases.
- Forward your confirmation email to shiptostation@skpd.org so the department knows when to expect the package and can notify you when it arrives.
- When picking up the package, bring a photo ID and a copy of your confirmation email.
Any packages requiring a signature should not be sent to the station.
The department is also encouraging residents to use the station’s north parking lot as a “safe e-commerce zone” while meeting with strangers to finalize online transactions.
“We encourage this practice year-round and have designated spots in the north parking lot for this purpose,” the department said.
The North Kingstown Police Department is offering a similar program this holiday season.
