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Beware Of Burglars: Durham Police & Partners Offer Holiday Cardboard Collection Sites

Phyllis Coley @phyllis_coley

DURHAM, NC – When electronics boxes and other gift packaging are placed curbside, potential burglars passing by are inadvertently informed of valuables inside. Television, computer, and gaming system boxes generally attract the most interest. The Durham Police Department is encouraging residents to break down large electronics boxes and other recyclable packaging and transport them to a recycling center instead of placing them curbside for trash/recycling collection. 

For the fourth consecutive year during the holiday season, the City of Durham Police Department, Durham Parks and Recreation, and Solid Waste Management Department are partnering to provide community sites where can residents dispose of cardboard boxes. Starting Friday, December 18 through Friday, January 8 dumpsters for the collection of cardboard boxes will be available at these locations:

  • Old North Durham Park – 310 W. Geer Street
  • Walltown Park Recreation Center – 1308 W. Club Boulevard
  • Campus Hills Park – 2000 S. Alston Avenue
If Transport of Boxes is Not Feasible…

Another strategy is to break down boxes and leave them inside until curbside garbage and recycling collection days. Cardboard should be flattened and should fit inside the blue curbside recycling cart, out of sight of potential burglars.

burglarsResidents may also take large volumes of flattened cardboard to the City’s Waste Disposal and Recycling Center located at 2115 E. Club Blvd. At this location, residents (not commercial entities) can also safely dispose of electronics, appliances, household hazardous waste, and trash.

The Waste Disposal and Recycling Center, Yard Waste Facility, and the Household Hazardous Waste Center will close early on Thursday, December 24 at 2 p.m. and remain closed on Friday, December 25. These facilities will also be closed on Friday, January 1. Residents are reminded to place their carts at the curb by 6 a.m. the day of their scheduled collections and to recycle as much as possible during the holiday season. Paper holiday waste, including wrapping paper (non-metallic only), cardboard boxes, and greeting cards should be placed in blue curbside recycling carts. For more information about items accepted for curbside collections as well as how to sign up for collection day alerts and reminders for all holiday service changes, visit the Solid Waste Management Department’s webpage or download the free Durham Rollout app in the Apple and Google Play stores.