Christmas has come and gone, gifts have been exchanged, and now there are empty boxes that need to be disposed of.

However, that doesn't mean that you should just toss them in the trash.

The Quincy, Mass. Police Department posted a notice on their twitter page advising residents to make sure they have broken down their boxes before placing them in the recycle bin.

Boxes that still bare the names of the items they have housed could alert potential thieves to valuables that would be inside the home.

In addition New Bedford Police say it's important to make sure that names and addresses are blocked out and that any documents with information such as credit card information or social security numbers are shredded before they are disposed of.

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