Police in New Mexico use 'bait packages' to stop porch pirates

The Albuquerque Police Department is working with the United States Postal Service and Amazon to crack down on porch pirates.

Credit: ArtisticOperations/Pixabay

Credit: ArtisticOperations/Pixabay

The Albuquerque Police Department is working with the United States Postal Service and Amazon to crack down on porch pirates.

A police department in New Mexico is using bait packages to help stop porch pirates during the holiday season, KRQE reported.

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The Albuquerque Police Department has put tracking devices in phony packages as a way to bait thieves, the television station reported.

"Around town people are stealing packages from doorsteps. We know this is happening," Albuquerque police Officer Simon Drobik told KOB. "We put bait inside our packages, just like when we have bait cars. Then we can track those when they're moved."

Police officials said they will be working with Amazon and the United States Postal Service to track where thefts are happening. They hope the system will not only save time and money, but anguish for people who have had packages stolen.

"We don't have to sit there traditionally, watch a street and eat up man-hours."We can just wait for the crook to come take the bait." Drobik told KRQE. "We want to get these guys into custody and make them aware that we're out there looking for them."

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