Christmas Gifts Swiped From Doorsteps

As online shopping becomes increasingly popular, stealing presents from porches has become easier and more profitable than ever. 

The Boston Globe reports packages being swiped from Medford and Somerville stoops by a father-daughter duo who were arraigned recently on larceny charges. 

Nearly 120 million packages will be delivered this week, a UPS spokeswoman told the Globe. With such high volumes, Grinches can turn a carefully chosen gift into a large profit. 

Somerville police said this kind of crime is not unique to their town, but the scale of this year's thefts is unprecedented. 

A Holliston spokeswoman said package deliveries in the town is at an all-time high, and some residents have reached out to the mail service to keep their parcels protected. 

"Some people have opeted to only have us deliver packages to their house if they are home," the spokeswoman said. "Otherwise they have to come here to pick it up."

Part-time UPS delivery man Michael J. McCellan pleaded not guilty to larceny charges after he allegedly stole a watch from a package in his truck. 

Authorities recommend having packages delivered to workplaces if possible, using online tracking to anticipate the arrival date, or having packages shipped to a friend who is home during the day.