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"The longer these cases wait, they get stale," Lima said. Police say even with precautions, package theft is a crime of opportunity.
Sunnyvale police report file license#
While officers are on the lookout for leads and license plates, they do admit it requires a little luck, too. In the past, police have filled some of the packages with GPS trackers. So, Sunnyvale has gotten permission from several homeowners to plant decoy packages on their doorsteps in hopes of luring porch pirates. Overall, the survey found 60% of people know someone who had a package stolen during the holidays. And, nearly a third of that group says it has happened more than once. Also, police agencies don't always specifically keep track of package thefts or it's included in residential burglary numbers.īut C+R Research surveyed 2,000 online shoppers across the country with nearly a quarter, 23%, saying they’ve been a victim of package theft so far this year. It's unclear if package thefts specifically are up because many people don't report a stolen package primarily because of its value. The problem is suspected to be worse this year with more people shopping online. We want to do something that we can proactively put a dent in this kind of problem." "We don’t want to just respond to calls for service. "We don’t want to just be reactive," Lima said. Statistics show Sunnyvale officers following up on leads and separated from regular patrol duties has greatly reduced any uptick in theft-related crimes, especially during the holidays. Lima leads the team of at least four officers who regularly put in extra hours during the holidays to prevent overall theft, which has been on the rise across the Bay Area. City staff members monitor requests during regular business hours, Monday through Friday. "We can all connect with that so we take it personal." To report a health or safety EMERGENCY, dial 9-1-1.
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"It can be a heartache if you have your property stolen," said Lt.
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