Did you enjoy your weekend shopping at the mall with family and friends? Maybe you found that perfect television or computer printer you've been looking for. If so, we want you to keep owning it! 

Too many times, we see trash cans on the street, along with boxes of recently purchased merchandise. Since it's our job to patrol the neighborhoods, we happen to notice these things. Unfortunately, thieves who are doing their own version of "patrolling" are noticing what you throw out as well.

If a crook stopped and looked at these boxes, here's all the information he or she could learn:

1. Where you shop; Online website or local stores.
2. Shipping information; Did you have these shipped to your place of business and brought the item home? If so, now the crooks know where you work. It won't be hard for them to learn your work schedule by a simple phone call.
3. The quality of goods you have indicates the potential for other high-end merchandise or cash to be inside your residence.
4. Other information such as how the items were paid, phone numbers and personal information left behind on documentation.

Make sure to cut up boxes and place them inside your trash cans. If they won't all fit, consider disposing them over a couple of weeks.  Also, remove any documentation and shipping labels, and shred those items.