Las Cruces police are working special projects to deter porch piracy and, on Wednesday, made an arrest.
Gabriel J. Sierra, 34, was arrested Wednesday afternoon and is charged with one count of larceny up to $500.
LCPD Community Outreach officers were working a special project on Wednesday, Nov. 30, in south-central Las Cruces when, shortly after 2 p.m., they witnessed Sierra approach a home and take a package that was recently delivered. Sierra was apprehended by police and subsequently booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center.
Las Cruces police remind residents that package theft, commonly called porch piracy, continues to be a problem – and a crime of opportunity – especially around the holidays.
The Las Cruces Police Departments offers these tips to help prevent porch piracy:
- Track deliveries online and try to be home at the time packages are delivered.
- Require a signature for all home delivery packages.
- When scheduling a delivery, leave instructions on where the package can be delivered.
- Request electronic notification when delivery is made.
- Ask a trusted friend or neighbor to receive your package at the time of delivery.
- If possible, have the package delivered to your place of employment or a location where you know it can be securely received.
- Schedule online purchases from big box retailers to be delivered to their local store where you can arrange for curbside pickup.
- Have the package delivered to a FedEx or UPS store where it can be held for pickup.
- Consider installing a motion-detection home security system, such as a Ring or Nest, that records video and sends immediate notice of activity to your smartphone.
Be a good neighbor and watch for suspicious activity. Immediately call police if any such activity is seen in your neighborhood.
Consumers might also consider purchasing insurance for the contents of packages at the time delivery is scheduled. Insuring the items does not prevent them from being stolen but does help provide restitution if items go missing.
Las Cruces police plan to conduct additional porch piracy projects at multiple, undisclosed locations.