OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The Douglas County Sheriff's Office is taking a proactive approach to combat porch pirates this holiday season by placing GPS-tracked decoy packages on porches throughout the county.
- "We're going to track them down, traffic stop them, or write a search warrant for their house, take them into custody, and charge them accordingly," sheriff Aaron Hanson said.
- The sheriff's office recommends several safety measures to protect packages
- We spoke to one neighbor to see how he protects his deliveries.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office is taking a proactive approach to combat porch pirates this holiday season by placing GPS-tracked decoy packages on porches throughout the county.
While package theft occurs year-round, DCSO reports that theft calls climb as the holidays approach. Rather than simply responding to reports after the fact, deputies are getting ahead of the problem.
"We don't like to be reactive. We want to be proactive," Sheriff Aaron Hanson said.
The decoy packages contain GPS trackers along with valuable items worth enough to make stealing the package a felony charge. When thieves take the bait, deputies can track them down for arrest.
"We're going to track them down, traffic stop them, or write a search warrant for their house, take them into custody, and charge them accordingly," Hanson said.
Joel Knudson, a northwest Omaha resident, was waiting for a special delivery when we spoke with him. His package arrived safely, but he remains vigilant about deliveries.
"We've gotten a few gifts and we've got one on the porch right now," Knudson said.
The sheriff's office recommends several safety measures to protect packages: installing security cameras, finding hidden spots for deliveries, or having valuable items delivered to a safe location.
Knudson said his neighborhood relies on community support as an additional layer of protection.
"Our neighbors, we all watch out for each other. We're a little older than some neighborhoods, and so there's generally somebody around," Knudson said.
