TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) -- Tupelo Police Officer Alan Chavers said all too often, he sees very trusting homeowners who have no idea they are being watched.
What they place outside as trash can come back to haunt them.
"That tells the wrongdoer that there might be some good things in that house," Chavers said.
That's a situation Tupelo city officials hope to avoid.
"You don't think about these kind of things until you put them out there and something happens, someone breaks into your house," Tupelo Council President Fred Pitts said.
"It's just like an advertisement when you put your 50-inch flat screen TV box out next to the road. The people that are looking for trouble or looking to break in homes, those are the types of things they are looking for," Tupelo Police Chief Tony Carleton said.
The city is partnering with Waste Management to place large recycling bins where boxes and other paper-based materials can be safely discarded.
"They won't take glass in these. We don't need glass or anything that is contaminated with food, but basically everything else — the Christmas wrappings and things — can go in this so we can recycle these," Waste Management public sector representative Greg Miley said.
The city will also be accepting your Christmas tree at the same locations.
"We don't take artificial trees, only natural trees. And all of the ornaments and lights have to be off," Keep Tupelo Beautiful Coordinator Sherrie Cochran said.
Cochran said drop off points are at five Tupelo parks: Gumtree, Ballard, Veterans, Hancock and Theron Nichols.
