ATHENS, Ga. – Athens-Clarke County police officers stepped in to “save Christmas” for dozen of local residents after finding more than 70 abandoned packages scattered along a neighborhood sidewalk last week, according to department.
Police say there were dispatched November 29 after a caller reported multiple packages lying on the ground in a residential area. When officers arrived, they discovered parcels addressed to homes across Athens and quickly realized they had all been dropped by a delivery driver.
Officers contacted the delivery company, which police declined to name, and learned the driver had quit mid-shift, leaving the packages where they were. The company told officers it would not send anyone to pick up the parcels and advised police that packages could be discarded or donated because replacements would be issued to customers.
Instead, officers chose a different approach.
Determined to prevent residents from losing their holiday deliveries, ACCPD officers collected the packages, divided them among themselves and spent the night delivering each one.
“We knew that a lot of people worked hard for the packages, and the right thing to do was play delivery services/Santa,” Sgt. Cooper with ACCPD said.
The department said the officers’ actions reflect their commitment to serving the community, even during a busy holiday season and amid the usual demands of their work.
Officers made doorstep deliveries throughout the Midnight’S West patrol zone. ACCPD thanked the community and wished residents and happy holidays.
