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Black Friday and Cyber Monday have come and gone, but police in Ossining are warning area residents to be wary on “Thieving Thursday” after porch pirates were caught red-handed on camera.
The Ossining Police Department released home surveillance footage of a porch pirate, who targeted a home on Tavano Road this week. In the video, a deliveryman leaves two packages in front of the home, only to have a truck later roll up, a passenger dart out, stealing the packages before fleeing.
“It all happened within a matter of minutes,” investigators noted. “The truck pulls up, the driver gets out, the package gets dropped, and the thief swoops in. This may not be the only victim in our area but it’s the only call we got so far. That doesn’t mean we can let our guard down.
“First, you have to protect yourself. Track your packages and ask a friend or neighbor to grab your boxes if you aren’t going to be home. If you use a service like Amazon, they have a locker system where you can pick up your stuff at a secure location. Most importantly, if you see someone in your neighborhood acting suspiciously, call us. We’ll be glad to check it out.”
Police said that locals should be vigilant for people or vehicles that are unfamiliar to the neighborhood, and arrangements should be made to have packages delivered while one is at home, or to have a trusted person secure the items.
Officials recommend:
- Request packages to be placed in a less conspicuous spot, such as a side door or behind a planter or garbage can.
- Many shipping companies now allow you to request a delivery time or time frame – schedule packages for when someone is home.
- Install a smart security camera at your front door.
- Request signature on delivery if possible.
- Some companies and shippers offer locker service or for packages to be held at the delivery distribution center for pick-up.
- Keep an eye out for suspicious vehicles and people in your neighborhood and report suspicious activity.
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