Coral Gables Police Safety Aides On Patrol To Put A Pin In Porch Pirates Activity
CORAL GABLES (CBSMiami) – Coral Gables police safety aides were out Wednesday delivering packages and warning porch pirates to beware.
One of those on patrol was Neighborhood Safety Aide Celestino Rodriguez.
He spotted some packages delivered to a resident's front porch. In an effort to curb porch thefts, Rodriguez walked up to the door to put the packages out of sight and knock in case anyone was home.
"A lot of these delivery companies, one in particular, they leave the packages, don't even knock on the door," he said.
Lots of packages are going to be delivered this holiday season. The hope is to scuttle the porch pirates through technology and good old police work.
"The troops of men and women behind me have moved more than 1,000 packages into inconspicuous parts of houses," said Chief Ed Hudak.
Combined with doorbell cameras and the SaferWatch app, police get good evidence to catch front-step stealers.
"So the porch pirates that are looking for boxes like this, on porches like this, are going to have to deal with a team like this," Hudak said.
And when porch pirates are taken down, they'll get a big surprise.
"It comes with police lights, handcuffs and complimentary trip to the jail," said Officer Kelly Denham.
