The Season of Taking Is Back: OCSO Warns Of Porch Pirates

The Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office said on Monday that they are expecting to see an uptick in porch pirate thefts in the coming weeks. 

“Anytime that you have something delivered, there’s always that possibility,” said Aaron Brilbeck, the Public Information Officer for OCSO. 

The people committing these crimes are opportunists, the agency stated. 

"People who don't have any Christmas spirit, people who are grinches, and people who know that there's an opportunity to make quick money pretty easily without any regard for the people that they're hurting in the process." 

A good practice is taking proactive measures, Brilbeck suggested. 

“Keep your house well-lit, especially if it's nighttime. Make sure you've got a camera out front. They're relatively cheap these days,” he added. 

The Sheriff’s Office said it has solved a lot of cases with the help of neighbors. 

"We've solved a lot of these cases because neighbors have cameras that are up and we can go from house to house to house and track exactly where these people are. Oftentimes we'll get some very good video-- not just of the suspects, but of their license plates,” Brilbeck shared. 

Another idea for preventing porch pirates, according to OSCO, is to have packages delivered to your workplace. “If you're expecting to get it during work hours, why have it sit in front of your house where it is tempting for porch pirates when you can just have it delivered right to your workplace?"