Officer Discovers Dumped Packages
Before dawn last Sunday, just days before Christmas, a Lakeville police sergeant spotted three large totes of Amazon packages strewn along the roadside and into the woods. The startling discovery, which was captured on his body cam, led officers to return the packages to Amazon’s local distribution center.
The driver, whose identity was not disclosed, came forward the next day, confessing to their actions and explaining they were too stressed to complete their delivery route. They assured police they would report the incident to Amazon.
Lakeville Police Chief Matthew Perkins commented, “Sgt. Robert likely saved a Christmas headache for many local residents by noticing these totes and getting them back to Amazon, hopefully in time for a holiday delivery.”
No Charges Filed
The Lakeville police decided not to file charges against the driver, instead considering the incident a human resources matter for Amazon. “I am proud of the way our Lakeville Police officers handled and investigated this matter,” Chief Perkins noted, emphasizing compassion in this unique situation.
An Already Strained Amazon Workforce
This isn’t the only challenge Amazon faced during the holiday season. A Teamsters-led strike last week disrupted several facilities across the U.S., sparked by disagreements over wages, benefits, and working conditions.
Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien pointed to Amazon’s reluctance to negotiate as the root cause of the delays experienced by some customers. “If your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame Amazon’s insatiable greed,” O’Brien stated on X (formerly Twitter).
Amazon, however, refuted claims of operational disruptions, highlighting that the 7,000 striking workers account for only 1% of its workforce.
The strike, which began in Queens, expanded to facilities in Illinois, Atlanta, San Francisco, and California locations such as Victorville and City of Industry.
Delivering Amidst the Holiday Chaos
The incident in Massachusetts highlights the intense pressure faced by delivery drivers during peak shipping seasons. Between high delivery volumes and labor disputes, maintaining operational efficiency in the logistics industry remains an uphill battle.
For Lakeville residents, however, the efforts of Sgt. Robert and the local police ensured that many holiday gifts still made it under the tree on time.