‘Porch Pirates’ Steal Holiday Packages as They Pile Up at Homes

[mystery-ak]

‘Porch Pirates’ Steal Holiday Packages as They Pile Up at Homes

By NICK WINGFIELDDEC. 19, 2017

SEATTLE — It is a season for giving and, according to law enforcement officials in Washington County, Ore., taking as well.

Two weeks ago, its Sheriff’s Office ran a sting operation to catch porch pirates, thieves who swipe packages from Amazon and other companies from doorsteps. Detectives from the department’s property crimes unit put several electronics items worth more than $500 in a box, dropped in a tracking device and “baited” a volunteer’s front porch in the town of Aloha.

Sure enough, a pirate struck just after 2 a.m., and deputies traced him to a home two blocks away. In an apparent effort to cover up his deed, the 27-year-old suspect microwaved the tracking device, so he was charged with evidence tampering in addition to theft.

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https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/19/technology/packages-holiday-season-porch-pirates-strike.html

[Applewood]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2017/12/19/this-angry-inventor-has-a-special-gift-for-package-thieves-revenge/?utm_term=.aeb6b5045fec

This angry inventor has a special gift for package thieves: Revenge

The more time and money Jaireme Barrow spent to keep people from swiping packages off his front porch, the angrier he got.

He’d show police in Tacoma, Wash., crystal-clear surveillance video of porch pirates strolling onto his front yard and then making off with what he could only assume were the Jeep parts and electronics he’d paid for. But there were never any arrests.

As he grew more incensed, he realized he wanted more than identities or charges or even the stuff in the boxes.

He wanted revenge.

Then, the 34-year-old had an explosive idea.

“I was thinking, how could I scare them and make them drop my package and then never come to my front porch again,” Barrow told The Washington Post. “And I thought, ‘Getting shot at is scary. That’ll make them think twice.’ ”

With that, TheBlankBox was born.

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