INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) - After opening all those presents on Christmas day, the wrapping paper, boxes and packaging fill up the trash bins. People are also thinking about getting rid of their real Christmas tree.
Many kids spent Wednesday playing with their new toys. Many adults wore new clothing or jewelry that was under the Christmas tree. But publicizing your Christmas gifts with the trash at the curb could be inviting thieves.
Many trash containers are overflowing in Indianapolis neighborhoods the day after Christmas. But police warn people to break down boxes and put them inside recycling or trash bins. Don't advertise what you got for Christmas.
"With this trash out by the curb, with the new TVs or computers or other Amazon boxes, criminals might be cruising the neighborhood and see that and say, 'Hey! Let's see if anybody's home. And if they're not, let's go ahead and take their new stuff,”" said Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Sgt. Jim Gillespie.
An old TV sat at the curb in front of a westside home Wednesday, with a sign that read “Free” taped to it. But that also suggests Santa brought a nicer one for Christmas.
"What that does is send a message to the criminals that you have something new inside your house," said Gillespie. Police advise to check your trash and recycling neighborhood pick up schedule, which was likely moved back because of the holiday. "You don't want it sitting out there for several days, because again, that just sends a message to anybody that's out there looking to do harm that 'Hey. They might have something inside that house that we want,’” said Gillespie. If you have a real Christmas tree, instead of putting it out with the rest of the trash, consider dropping it off at an Indy Parks location for recycling.
"If you bring your tree to one of the nine parks locations, it will be recycled, which is good for the environment and it keeps trees out of solid waste facilities,” said Charnay Pickett with the Indianapolis Department of Public Works.
Marion County residents are invited to drop off their real Christmas trees through the end of January from dusk to dawn. But everything on the tree should be removed.
"Residents can drop off their bare Christmas trees at any of our nine parks locations across the city,” said Pickett. “We just ask that residents remove any ornaments, lights, tinsel, things like that. After we have all the trees collected, we'll take them to GreenCycle, where the trees will be chipped." Trees cannot be chipped for mulch when lights are left on them. One of the trees left at Krannert Park had lights still strung around it. The tree may have lit up beautifully during December, but now becomes a hassle for DPW workers.
Most importantly, this recycling service is for real trees only and for residential, not commercial use.
Indiana DNR has an online tool to find a Christmas tree recycling program near you.