William Grimes/Wikimedia Commons

The holiday season is a time for joy and giving, but theres a Grinch in one Wisconsin town stealing gifts.

The Dane County Sheriffs Office said it has had two reports of thieves targeting packages left on porches this week in the town of Albion, where some residents worry theyll be next.

Its a shame that people do that, Arin Smithback said. Its ridiculous that people take from one another.

Smithback wonders if his family has also fallen victim.

My mom is waiting on a package and it hasnt come yet and shes apparently been tracking it, but she doesnt know where it is, Smithback said.

The Christmas present is already five days late, but when something like this happens, it might never show up. And consumers are held accountable. The UPS store in Middleton recognizes the brazen trend.

Weve heard stories of people, this time of year especially, trailing UPS trucks, Fed-Ex trucks, U.S. Postal trucks in neighborhoods, UPS Spokesman Keith Johnston said.

In fact, this week, a New York City homeowner caught that same crime on his security camera. To avoid it, Johnston recommends wrapping gifts in a generic box, consider having a trustworthy neighbor keep an eye out for the package or having to sign for a delivery can ensure it gets to the appropriate person.

Its worth it for a couple of bucks to make sure and have the peace-of-mind its delivered safely, said Johnston.

Original post:
Holiday thieves target porches with packages

by TONY BURBECK / NBC Charlotte

WCNC.com

Posted on December 18, 2013 at 6:57 PM

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Thieves are targeting holiday deliveries left on peoples porches and by their doors.

To some folks, a package delivered to a house this time of year is a sign of holiday cheer. To others, it is the temptation of a gift just sitting there, waiting to be stolen.

"Easy target, said Kimberly Binford.

Her neighbor, a 66-year-old grandmother buying gifts for her grandkids, found out the hard way.

"She received an email confirmation that said the packages had been delivered. When she got home, they were not of course on her porch, Binford said. "She did call and make a police report. She did mention it to me, so yeah she seemed very disappointed.

The police report estimates the loss at the home in the Candlewyck neighborhood at $60.

Another report in the Chantilly neighborhood says someone stole a watch worth about $150 delivered to the front door of a home on Shenandoah Avenue.

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Thieves nab holiday gifts from local porches

It's a big concern for anyone trying to enjoy the holiday season; thieves are taking it to another level.

Whether you live in an apartment or a home, thieves are driving around, picking up packages from front porches or taking things from mailboxes. It's becoming a wide-spread problem.

One by one, residents of Rolling Hills are becoming the victim of a rash of holiday thefts.

"When they get home in the afternoon it shows a package has been delivered, but the package is not there."

This surveillance image show's a female over the weekend get out of her truck, grab a package from a home and walk off.

"We had residents right in here," Rollingwood Hills Police Detective Joel Martin said.

Bastrop County has also been hit hard, with the sheriff's office reporting more than 100 people being affected within the past two months.

A surveillance camera at one home captured the suspect you see in this photo.

"Seasonal cards, holiday cards have been opened...apparently these people are looking for money and gift cards. I did have one residents say all of her credit card statements were stolen," said Mari McDonald with the Tahitian Village Property Owner's Association.

McDonald sent an email warning residents that two boys were seen going through mailboxes in the early morning hours. It's something that has caused the holiday cheer to completely disappear.

Read more here:
Grinches steal packages from Central Texas homes

OREGON CITY, OR (KPTV) -

A man and a woman have been arrested after being accused of stealing packages from at least two vehicles near Oregon City High School and the porch of a nearby home, police said.

A bystander spotted Timothy White, 41, and Cassie Gepford, 24, looking through vehicle windows and homes near the high school on Monday and called police.

Officers confronted White and Gepford and learned they both had outstanding warrants.

Police said the two later admitted to taking packages from two vehicles and the porch of a home near the high school. The two vehicles belonged to students, police said.

Neighbors said the case makes them think twice about having packages delivered to their homes.

"We have a pretty good track record of not a lot of crime and stuff, but it's always kind of in the back of your mind," said Megan Clegg, who said a package was stolen from her porch last December.

"I don't think I have any more packages coming," said Jessica Moyes, who lives near Oregon City High School. "I think I'm done. So, that's good."

Police said it's best to chose the "sign and deliver" method when having packages delivered to your home, which means you have to be physically present when the package is delivered and sign for it.

You can also ask a trusted neighbor to hold your packages until you get home, or have them delivered to work or a post office box, if possible. Also, never leave any valuables out in plain sight inside your vehicle, police said. Make sure your windows are rolled up and your doors are locked whenever you're away from your vehicle.

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Police: 2 admit to stealing packages from porches, vehicles

CLIFTON - Two Paterson men have been charged with stealing packages left on Clifton and Totowa residents' front porches by UPS, some containing Christmas presents.

Mohammad Ahmed, 20, of Paterson, and Isa Ahmad, 21, of Paterson, have been charged with five counts of theft for stealing packages from homes on Thomas Street, Dumont Avenue and Maplewood Avenue on Dec. 10, said detective Sgt. Robert Bracken, spokesman for the Clifton Police Department.

Clifton detectives Daniel Ishack and Michael Panepinto had only a partial license plate number as they investigated the theft of the packages from Clifton homes, specifically one from Thomas Street and one from Dumont Avenue. A witness had reported the partial plate to police, Bracken said. As the detectives investigated on Dec. 11, they learned a vehicle with a similar license plate and matching the vehicle description, had just been reported leaving the scene of similar crimes in Totowa, Bracken said. The Clifton detectives traveled to Totowa where they located the vehicle in question occupied by the two suspects, Bracken said.

Following questioning, the suspects were charged with the two Thomas Street thefts, two Dumont Street thefts and one on Maplewood Avenue. Three of the victims had not yet realized their packages had been stolen, Bracken said.

Totowa police will investigate and file charges separately for the thefts in their jurisdiction.

Some of the stolen goods have been recovered, Bracken said.

Email: sportelli@northjersey.com

Continued here:
Two Paterson men charged with stealing packages left on front porches in Clifton, Totowa

Porches Over Pagebrook. ERA Decker Real Estate
Porches Over Pagebrook. ERA Decker Real Estate - created at http://animoto.com.

By: Wally VanVoorhis

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Porches Over Pagebrook. ERA Decker Real Estate - Video

CHARLOTTE, N.C.

Many shoppers buy gifts online and those gifts then are then dropped off on their porch. But thieves are snatching boxes right off people's doorsteps.

Action 9 noticed case after case in police reports and found out how online shoppers can try to keep it from happening to them.

Melissa Roy shops online a lot.

"Just because you don't have to deal with parking and the crowds," she said.

She bought dog toys from Amazon, tracked them, and thought they'd be on her porch. But they weren't. So she checked her surveillance cameras, which caught something shocking.

"I saw them clear as day," Roy said.

What she saw was two thieves taking her packages.

"I was frustrated, but then at the same time you kind of feel violated because somebody walked up on your porch," she said.

She filed a police report -- and Action 9 found others -- all just a few days apart from all over Charlotte. And according to the Better Business Bureau, victims can't blame the retailer or shipper.

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Action 9: Thieves targeting packages left on shoppers’ porches

RICHMOND (WRIC) - 'Tis the season for travel and thieves know it.

There have already been reports of thieves breaking into homes, stealing packages from the front porches and now there's word a pajama prowler on the run in Church Hill.

Police say a man his plaid PJs was spotted going door to door in the 400 block of North 32nd Street before he broke into a home and stole a couple of laptops.

If you're heading out of town for the holidays you might want to tell police.

The Richmond Police Department offers a service where they will watch your house or your business for you.

"Outside our regular patrol, I think one of the best things the police department offers is a business and house watch program," says Lt. David Naoroz

Naoroz says all you have to do is fill out a house watch request form online or at your local precinct and an officer will cruise by your home or business while you're out of town.

"Give us some information, give us some details like who might have a key if there is an alarm system. It goes out to our patrol units and our patrol units in that area check on your house."

In addition to signing up for the house watch, make sure your home isn't an easy target for thieves.

"Maintenance and care of the outside of your house is really important," Naoroz says. "Making sure that your doors are locked... making sure that your there is a light on with a timer... making sure that you mail is collected."

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Heading Out of Town? Make Sure to Tell Police

How to Build a House: Pouring the porches EP38
concrete porches are being poured and finished.

By: Roman Lewczuk

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How to Build a House: Pouring the porches EP38 - Video

CORONA: Police warn of thieves who take holiday packages off porches
As police warn of thieves who take holiday packages off porches, another Inland resident shares video of someone stealing a package from her porch.

By: The Press-Enterprise

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CORONA: Police warn of thieves who take holiday packages off porches - Video