As holidays approach, police warn of porch pirates

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SALT LAKE CITY — People are ordering more packages as the holiday season gets closer, and police say that means it’s harvest time for porch pirates.

Sandy Police Sgt. Greg Moffitt said most thieves take opportunities to steal as they come. He said package size doesn’t matter to thieves.

“Thieves, they just really don’t care,” Moffitt said. “What they’re looking for is taking advantage of an opportunity and exploiting that opportunity. So, I don’t think they really care. They’re taking small packages and they’re taking large packages.”

He said there are more porch pirates — people who steal packages from someone else’s porch — this time of year.

“One of the things that could be helpful is requiring a signature upon delivery,” Moffitt said. “That is something that can be easily done. Does it create an inconvenience? Sometimes it does, because you may not always be there to receive that package.”

Moffitt said having things like doorbell cameras can also help reduce the risk of your packages being stolen and they help police find the thief if they do come.

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