Package Thieves Beware! FWPD Launching "Operation Grinch Pinch"
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - With more and more Texans doing their shopping online package thefts have become a major issue. To combat the problem the Fort Worth Police Department has started a new bait program.
FWPD has launched a baited package program called "Operation Grinch Pinch." With the cooperation of the community the program involves planting packages, provided by the Electronic Surveillance Unit, and daily monitoring of their whereabouts.
All residents working with FWPD, who must keep their participation confidential, have an active home video monitoring system that can record activity 24 hours a day.
Police say the GPS baited packages, which are activated when there's movement outside a certain range, are placed on the front porch "with the intention of the package being visible from a street."
Patrol officers are notified when the package/packages are in motion. Police hope to track the package to a stationary location and take the individual(s) responsible for the theft into custody.
The "Grinch Pinch" program will wrap up at the end of the year. Police haven't said if they'll continue some form of the bait program after the holidays.