Owasso Police Add Extra Patrols Ahead Of Holidays

The Owasso Police Department said it's increasing patrols during the holidays, so you'll see more officers on the streets and in neighborhoods over the next few weeks.

Owasso Police said they'll have officers in shopping districts and near some of the busiest intersections keeping an eye on things.

The department is also adding extra patrols in neighborhoods to look for porch pirates. Lieutenant Nick Boatman said if officers are patrolling neighborhoods and see packages left unattended, they're encouraged to move them to a safe spot where thieves can't easily find them.

"If you see packages that are out in wide-open view, see if you can put them behind a bush or put them behind a column or something," he said.

Police said because more people are shopping online, they're also seeing thieves focus on residential areas when neighbors are asleep or at work.

Lt. Boatman said homeowners and business owners should make sure their cameras are in working order because it can really help police track down the bad guys.

"If we can put a face to a crime, it helps immensely. Sometimes, we have a face and we don't know who it is, but when we start running it through all the different databases that we have access to, it really helps out" said Lt. Boatman. 

Police said a lot of officers are working their normal beats, then coming in on their days off to do this. They are asking residents who see suspicious people driving or walking down streets or in store parking lots to call them.