Officers arrest woman for alleged parcel theft

Windsor police located and arrested a woman Tuesday morning who they had identified as a “porch pirate.”

The suspect was wanted after video surveillance captured her image following the theft of a parcel April 9 at around 3:45 p.m. from the front porch of a home in the 400 block of Chilver Road in the Walkerville area.

Police said the suspect walked up to a residence and grabbed a package off the porch.

Police later tweeted a request for the public's help to identify the suspect, described as a 20- to 30-year-old white woman with brown hair and wearing a white top, black pants, white shoes while carrying a black purse.

Officers arrested the 35-year-old woman Tuesday morning in the 900 block of Ouellette Avenue.

Police said she will be charged with theft under $5,000.

Officers remind residents to “use caution” when having packages delivered to a residence. They advise leaving specific delivery instructions with the carrier, or having a trusted person pick up the package once it's delivered if no one is home to receive it.

In January, Lasalle police issued a number of suggestions on how to prevent package theft after an increase in porch piracy in that community.

Security cameras and smart doorbells act as deterrents — as do signs indicating the presence of surveillance or other security measures — and can provide evidence if a theft occurs.

Smart doorbells are also a way to monitor and communicate remotely with delivery personnel.

Suggestions by police include:

Installing motion-activated lighting.

Using a secure delivery location such as a post office or a locker at a retail location.

A lockbox at the front door.

Having a package delivered to a trusted neighbour or workplace.

Scheduling deliveries for times when someone is home.

Police also advise retrieving packages promptly once delivered and using tracking apps that provide real-time updates on deliveries, or requesting signature confirmation for deliveries that will ensure packages are handed directly to the intended recipient.

Anyone with further information on this incident or any similar incident is asked to contact Windsor police at 519-255-6700 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 519-258-8477 or online at catchcrooks.com.