SANDY, Utah — Police in Utah are warning people of an increase in package thefts during this holiday season.
“We’ve actually stepped up our enforcement and our patrols in our neighborhoods,” said Sgt. Greg Moffitt with the Sandy Police Department, “Specifically with the idea to try and combat these porch pirate and thefts.”
Officers in Sandy arrested seven people last week for the crime, with the help of doorbell camera footage.
READ: Salt Lake City ranks among worst for porch pirate thefts
Porch pirates also made their way around the Spanish Fork area Monday.
“We decided to check our doorbell camera and realized that we had some thieves come right up to our porch and steal our items right off our porch,” said Monica, who lives in the area.
Monica said suspects stole more than $100 of makeup and Christmas gifts she and her family ordered to their home.
“Not in the amount of time that we’ve lived in this home have we ever had anything like this occur,” she said. “It just really made us feel violated and upset.”
Moffitt said it’s a crime that can have serious consequences for everyone involved.
“Package theft or mail theft is actually a third-degree felony. It’s become such a problem because associated with package theft, with mail theft... you’re seeing a lot of identity theft that comes out of that," he said.
He said to prevent it, people can require a signature before their package is dropped off, but really it depends on the whole neighborhood keeping an eye out for thieves.
“It all really boils down to having a good network within your neighborhood,” he said. “I think that having some good neighbors that you can trust, that you can look out for them and they can look out for you, is paramount... I think it’s good practice, personally.”
As a victim of porch pirates herself, Monica said she hopes everyone is willing to help their neighbors this holiday season.
“Watch out for one another, love one another, you know?" she said. "If you know you’re not going to be home, maybe a neighbor would be willing to watch for that package for you so it’s not swiped or stolen from hoodlums who don’t care."
