Lodi police see a decrease in package thefts

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, none other appeared than the crooked mad hatter, a pirate on the doorstep attempting to take packages concealed by the grisly landscape.

As the holidays commence, the surge in online orders and package deliveries has led to the prevailing issue of porch piracy — when one or more people unlawfully enter a property with the intention of stealing newly delivered packages from the doorstep of a private home.

The recent surge in holiday porch thefts has put several cities including Stockton, Modesto, and Sacramento high on the national list for metro areas most vulnerable to porch piracy.

A report by SafeWise, an independent security system review site, found that three of the top 10 metro areas in the nation most susceptible to porch piracy are in California. The watchdog site examined metro area package theft rates for the entire year, compared with holiday-specific theft rates.

SafeWise compiled their list by comparing FBI crime data with Google Trends searches for missing and stolen packages, and found that the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose area had the most porch thefts annually. Lower on the list was Los Angeles and the StocktonModesto-Sacramento area coming in 10th.

While regions surrounding Lodi are seeing a steady increase in porch thefts, the Lodi Police Department said the city has seen a decrease.

“We have been more active in our efforts to educate the public about porch pirates and raising awareness about how to deter them,” Lodi Police Lt. Eric Versteeg said.

Porch pirates look for homes that seem vacant and lack surveillance, according to Versteeg. He credits the local decline in porch thefts to the rise in homeowners with video doorbells, indoor and outdoor security cameras, and alarm systems.

Versteeg said having physical images could help police find thieves more swiftly because officers can disseminate the image throughout the police department.

“We have also taken protective measures with bait packages, which helps us catch porch thieves,” Versteeg said.

A bait package is placed in front of a home or business and inside the package is a GPS device that allows dispatchers to keep tabs on the package and track its location.

Once the box moves, the tracking device switches from hibernate mode to GPS mode and gives police an update every three seconds — including how fast the package is moving.

To prevent package thefts, Versteeg recommends residents leave specific instructions for carriers delivering packages, letting them know where to drop off a package. He also recommends tracking a package to know when it will be delivered.

Residents that do get their packages stolen can call the police department and file a police report for insurance or reimbursement purposes, Versteeg said.

People that live in unincorporated territories within San Joaquin County can contact the sheriff’s office and request vacation house checks, according to Deputy Andrea Lopez, spokeswoman for the San Joaquin County Sheriff ’s Office.

“If residents provide us with the dates they will be gone, we can incorporate a house check with routine patrols,” Lopez said, adding that if residents would prefer not to utilize house checks there are other measures they can take to secure their homes, like adding motion-sensor floodlights, having a neighbor check on your house or having a dog at home to deter thieves.