As we go into the holiday shopping season, many are choosing to purchase online. While it may be convenient, packages left on porches have become prime targets for thieves.
Just this week, a firefighter learned that the hard way. He’s now sharing his surveillance video and story to warn others.
While Earl Troutman is fighting fires, his surveillance cameras give him peace of mind. However, this week he said his cameras caught a woman stealing a package right off his front porch.
“It really looked like she drove through the neighborhood with a purpose and knew what she was doing,” said Troutman. “She stopped, backed up and saw the package and walked up there and seemed very comfortable doing it and not bothered by the fact this was 2:30 in the afternoon.” Marysville Police say it’s a crime of opportunity that keeps them busy this time of year.
“Package thefts will start to spike right about now and will all the way through the holidays,” said Sgt. Pete Shove. It’s why he recommends people take advantage of the delivery options carriers will offer.
“It’s not a case of ordering something and just waiting for it to show up, but you can tailor the delivery to what you need it to be,” said Shove. “You can have it delivered on a specific date. You can track it online, which we highly recommend.”