Sunnyvale police are laying traps for "porch pirates" - thieves who steal packages delivered to people’s homes - a crime that tends to increase during the holidays.
The department has planted "decoy" packages at multiple homes throughout the city, hoping to lure out unsuspecting criminals. The fake shipments’ exteriors look identical to that of normal delivery packages.
Authorities did not say what specifically is inside the decoys, only saying that thieves who steal those boxes "may end up with more than what (they) wanted."
"Free rides to jail offered daily," police added in a Facebook post.
Ben Stickle, a former law enforcement officer who conducted a study on porch pirates by viewing instances of the thefts uploaded to YouTube, told KCBS Radio last month some helpful tips for residents who want to deter those criminals.
He said residents should remove or hide their packages from their porch as soon as possible, as most porch pirates crimes occur when deliveries are easily visible from the roadway.
Related
