CENTERTON (KFSM) -- Centerton police are warning package thieves that the box they take may not have what they think.
A department Facebook post explained that police have placed GPS devices in some boxes so they can track down who took them.
They offer thieves a choice this holiday season, spend it with family and freedom or spend it behind bars.
Residents around town said they like this idea.
Two of those people included Amanda Lee and Courtney Clark.
Neither of them have had packages stolen, but they both said they are aware of the crime that seems to pick up around the holiday season.
Lee thanked the department for doing something different to put a stop to this problem.
She and her husband have a very specific plan when it comes to buying gifts for their young children.
Lee said she works from home and her husband works hard for the money they have for gifts.
She explained how she would feel if one of the Christmas gifts for their kids were taken from them.
“So, when we buy gifts, it is planed on a budget and so I would be very devastated because I planned a very long time to buy the gifts I do," Lee said. "Months in advance. So, it would be very heartbreaking for me and my husband.”
Clark agreed with Lee saying the idea was a good one, but said she still worries that the thefts could continue.
“Just because there has been other theft situations in the city and the police put effort in and they set up different strategies for every situation, they try to catch the thieves for this and it doesn’t seem to faze them," Clark said.
She said she sees a good amount of people who live in the area asking people online if they know what may have happened to missing packages or even Christmas decorations.
Clark said she still worries when she knows that a package will be delivered.
She explained that she recently was rushing to get home to make sure a package wasn't left on the front porch for too long.
Clark and her husband moved back to the area from a bigger city around two years ago, and she said they never expected to have to worry about a package in a smaller community.
She said they are thankful that the department is doing something to try and put a stop to these acts. She isn't sure if this tactic will work, but said she is interested to see what happens.