HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — For the second year, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is using its "Operation Pinch-A-Grinch" to provide people with a way to keep their holiday packages safe.
The sheriff's office launched the program in 2020. It lets residents send online purchases to two of the department's offices so they're aren't left unattended at home where they could fall prey to "porch pirates."
The sheriff's office said more than $10,000 worth of purchases were sent to HCSO last year.
Deputies at the District III and District V offices will accept packages from Amazon, FedEx, UPS, and USPS. All purchases will be stored in a secure location at the district office.
The program resumes Monday, November 8. No deliveries will be accepted after Tuesday, December 21.
Shipping Requirements
- Package recipients must be Hillsborough County residents.
- No packages more than 50 pounds.
Shipping Address
Residents are instructed to ship packages to either District III or District V using the following addressee format:
District III
- [Recipient Name]
c/o Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office
7202 Gunn Highway
Tampa, FL 33625
District V
- [Recipient Name]
c/o Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office
10128 Windhorst Road
Tampa, FL 33619
Package pick-up and distribution is November 8 - December 21, 2021. There will be no package pick-up on Thanksgiving Day or Black Friday (November 25-26).
Pick-Up Requirements
You must bring a valid photo ID and tracking information for your online order to pick up your packages.
- Order receipt or proof of package shipment
- Government-issued identification card, showing the name of the package recipient
- For addressees who are children, parent must provide proof of guardianship or child identification
Pick-Up Times
- Monday - Friday 7 a.m. - 8 p.m.
- Saturday 11:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
- Sunday11:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Click here for more information.
