Ask the Chief

Home delivery
Online sales are up and that means it is a great time for thieves to steal items from your porch. These thieves are often referred to as porch pirates. They drive around and look for packages sitting outside of your home or they follow delivery people waiting for them to make a delivery. There are things you can do to protect yourself. Have your items delivered to your place of work or to someone else who is going to be home to receive the package in person. Install a camera at your home so that if your package is stolen, we have a chance to identify the person or vehicle they are using. If you see someone take a package from a home and walk away, call 911, document the description of the suspect, document the vehicle description to include the license plate number and direction of travel, keep an eye on the suspect and stay on the phone until officers find the suspect. Don’t let your gift-giving benefit thieves.