Wednesday marked the second day of Amazon Prime Day, bringing with it a plethora of deals. However, police in North Texas are sounding the alarm about porch pirates who are actively targeting unprotected packages.
NBC 5 interviewed an Arlington resident who narrowly avoided having his family’s high-value shipment stolen. Dao Ton, who lives in southwest Arlington, recounted how his home surveillance cameras captured an unfamiliar car pulling into his driveway just before his scheduled delivery of thousands of dollars’ worth of tech supplies.
“A lady got out, glanced at the porch, then jumped into the flowerbed,” Ton described. “When she saw us inside, she quickly ran back to her car and drove off.” Moments later, Ton said, the UPS truck arrived with his package.
Ton immediately shared the footage with the Arlington Police Department. While police acknowledged the incident, they stated that no crime was committed based on the footage, and no charges have been filed. They also noted no recent reports of theft in Ton’s neighborhood.
Nevertheless, this incident has raised concerns about porch pirates, a problem that police departments across North Texas have been addressing this week.
“One of our priorities is educating the public on how to prevent these thefts,” said Lt. Pedro Barineau of the Garland Police Department. He emphasized options like scheduling deliveries when someone is home to receive them or utilizing services offered by companies like Amazon that allow for package pickup.
Barineau highlighted the effectiveness of home security systems with cameras, noting they not only assist in identifying suspects but also act as deterrents.
Following his experience, Ton posted a warning on Nextdoor to alert his neighbors, urging them to remain vigilant against potential thefts.
“Community awareness and communication are crucial in preventing these crimes,” Ton concluded.
