How to Identify Suspicious Deliveries

The delivery of chemical agents, explosives and other instruments of terror through the mails provide a daily concern for delivery people, postal workers and police departments around the country. In a few simple steps, you can identify suspicious deliveries and help keep your community safe.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Access to neighbor's home or relative's home
• Protective gloves
• Protective goggles or glasses

Assess the Characteristics of a Suspicious Delivery

1. Handle suspicious deliveries carefully while you perform a preliminary visual assessment. Put on gloves and eyewear to protect yourself from liquids or powders coating a package.
2. Read the address labels and writing on suspicious packages. Good signs of a suspicious label are crooked labels, illegible wording and extraneous notes that are not required for delivery.
3. Pick up the package carefully to estimate its weight. Explosive devices and other harmful devices created by a terrorist are typically heavy due to a rudimentary knowledge of explosives.
4. Review the condition and shape of the suspicious package. Your suspicions may be justified if the package is damp, stained or taped excessively to meet minimum shipping requirements. Homemade bombs or chemical delivery devices are often oddly shaped due to the limited resources available.

Report Suspicious Packages

5. Call your local police and fire department immediately after you have identify the questionable nature of a package. Dial 911 and calmly provide details to the operator.
6. Look up the phone number for your local FBI office in a phone book or on the Internet and contact them after you identify a suspicious package. The local duty agent can work with police and the bomb squad to assess the threat of a package.
7. Evacuate family, friends and pets from your home after you call the appropriate authorities. Go to a neighbor or relative's house until the threat has been assessed and cleared by police.
8. Speak with your neighbors immediately after you evacuate your home. A calm explanation of the situation prevents undue concern and allows neighbors to assist police by not blocking the streets.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid opening suspicious packages. If you have suspicions, always perform a visual inspection using the FBI advisory on suspicious deliveries before opening a package or letter (see Resources below). If you do not feel comfortable with this, contact emergency services immediately.