Law enforcement agencies warn of ‘porch pirates’ during holiday season

As Christmas nears and Columbia Basin residents start seeing more deliveries, area law enforcement agencies are seeing more reports of delivered goodies being stolen from front porches.

“(Package thefts) happen daily,” said Grant County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman. “It increases around the holidays just simply because there’s more packages being delivered and there’s a good chance of whatever is being delivered is going to have a substantial cost that (the thief) would be able to trade for drugs or whatever.”

Foreman said the average cost of a stolen item, according to a survey by C+R Research in 2020, the median value of stolen packages is about $136 and 43% of those surveyed by the firm reported having had packages stolen from the point of delivery.

According to Security.org, a firm that tracks home package thefts, about 49 million Americans had items stolen from their homes. The study also found more than $2.4 billion in consumer goods were stolen from Americans from November 2020 through October 2021.

Penalties for the aspirational “porch pirate” vary based on the value of the items stolen, Foreman said. Those caught stealing from an area resident’s front steps may face fines, jail time and other penalties, he said.

Thefts from vehicles are also prevalent throughout the year, Foreman said. Leaving valuables, such as Christmas presents, electronics and even firearms, in cars and trucks presents an easy target for thieves.

Both vehicle burglaries and thefts from front porches can be prevented, Foreman said.

According to a press release from the Soap Lake Police Department, there are simple steps Columbia Basin residents can take to keep their valuables safe. Anyone who is expecting a delivery who won’t be home should have the packages sent to their place of business or other alternate delivery sites where someone trustworthy can accept it. Having a delivery notification for the package set up will let buyers know when an item arrives, and online package tracking is also useful. Asking a neighbor or relative to retrieve the package once it’s delivered can also help, the release said.

Other alternative delivery sites are available through Amazon and other retailers, Foreman said. Having items delivered with a signature requirement or to a parcel store can prevent theft from doorsteps, which can feel like a violation of privacy.

“And citizens don’t like feeling violated,” Foreman said. “I mean, if it’s Christmastime and you’re enjoying the fact that you’re going to be able to buy some nice things with your hard-earned money – nice gifts to give your family – you don’t want it taken.”

Foreman also suggested installing doorbell cameras and other cameras overlooking home entryways and parking spaces. The cameras can help identify thieves whom he said don’t seem to pay attention to whether a camera is present. In one incident in the 1300 block of Arnold Drive in Moses Lake, Foreman said a doorbell camera helped identify not only the culprit in a Nov. 23 theft, but also captured images of the suspect’s car parked nearby.

“We can use that as evidence to put them at the scene and in many cases, show them walking up to the porch, picking up the package and walking off with it,” Foreman said.

The suspect in the Arnold Drive incident was later located using the pictures, he added.

Removing valuables from vehicles or parking in a garage is important, as well. Thefts of tools, firearms and other valuables from vehicles happen year-round, but can rise during the holidays. Theft of a firearm from a vehicle may put a weapon in the hands of someone who is a criminal or may simply turn the weapon into yet another commodity in criminal trades, Foreman said.

Being mindful of the prevalence of package theft can help prevent problems, Foreman said.

“Just remember that this time of year we have a lot of people who will be going around trying to take packages, find opportunities to steal things,” Foreman said. “Just make it a lot harder for them to be successful.”

R. Hans Miller can be reached via email at rmiller@columbiabasinherald.com.