While modern cop shows often portray a nonstop stream of high-octane capers, the average law enforcement call is usually far less adrenaline-fueled. Ironically, it’s these more boring aspects of the job that leave a lasting impact on the lives of everyday citizens. Police officers in Billerica, Massachusetts, found themselves stepping into a role more traditionally filled by a guy in a red suit.

According to CBS News, Officer Sam Hawkes was on patrol November 25 when he came across eight packages lying in the road. A closer look revealed they were all Amazon deliveries, complete with destination addresses. After briefly checking the area for any cameras or bystanders that might explain how the packages ended up there, he faced the question of what to do next. Rather than throwing them away, clearing them off the road or trying to have the delivery company retrieve them, Hawkes used some good old-fashioned common sense. He called a fellow colleague, Officer Matthew Irwin, and they loaded the packages into their patrol cars and began making the deliveries themselves.

A few weeks later, on December 2, Officer Thomas Huff found eight more Amazon packages in the road on the other side of town and delivered them to their proper destinations.

Amazon has been mum on the incidents, saying only that they’re working with the Billerica Police Department to address the issue. Perhaps the packages fell off a delivery truck. Maybe they were abandoned by angry delivery drivers. Whatever the cause, the citizens gearing up for Christmas were simply happy to get their packages.

Resident John Thomas was surprised to find officers knocking at his door, but his surprise quickly turned to relief when he noticed his wife’s name on the packages they were carrying. Choosing to josh her a bit, he called for her to come to the door because “the police were here for you.” His wife was relieved to receive the packages. “They have a lot of other things to do besides delivering packages,” Thomas said, “and I was very appreciative.”

“These two incidents really highlight the care that Billerica police officers put into their jobs, whether they are responding to a major emergency, or just ensuring that residents get lost packages during the holiday season,” Chief Roy Frost said in a department press release.