Want to avoid porch pirates and car break-ins? Use these tips from Illinois police
Unlocked doors and unattended packages create crimes of opportunity, area law enforcement warns.
There were at least three instances Tuesday in which presumed thieves approached cars that were left warming up in the driveways of Cahokia homes. In each case, a man tested the door handles and walked away when he found them to be locked.
Cahokia Police Chief Dave Landmann said there’s no telling how often this happens since reports are not always filed if the vehicles are not broken into or stolen. He said citizens should be vigilant about watching out for their neighbors and report anything that looks suspicious.
“These burglars/criminals are driving up and down the street poking for cars that are left running because people are warming their cars,” he said. “People are also leaving valuables inside of their cars.
“But most of all of the car break-ins have been where people left their vehicles unlocked.”
Police agencies in other metro-east cities are reporting similar crimes of opportunity.
On Wednesday, Troy Police issued a warrant for a Caseyville man on suspicion of porch pirating. Neighbors told police they saw a man taking delivered packages from the front stoop of area homes.
Their descriptions led investigators to the Caseyville man, who was identified and found in possession of the stolen items, Troy Police said through a release.
St. Louis media earlier this week reported that one Hazelwood couple struck back at porch pirates by planting an Amazon box packed with their daughter’s dirty diapers on their front porch. They later captured the thief on security camera and posted it on social media.
Illinois State Police recommends several more conventional measures to avoid theft of packages.
- Have packages delivered to a relative or neighbor you know will be home.
- If buying online from a retailer, have the item shipped to its local store. Amazon also offers a “locker” feature that allows customers to pick up packages from a secured location.
- Request that your package has signature confirmation upon delivery.
- Ask your carrier to place package in an area out of plain view.
Troy and Dupo also offer residents the opportunity to have their packages delivered to their police departments where they will be held free of charge until pickup can be arranged.
When it comes to vehicle theft or items stolen from cars parked in busy lots, Landmann says the best defense is common sense.
“People need to lock their cars because people check car doors, and everyone needs to take their valuables out of their vehicles,” Landmann said. “People leave money, laptops and other things of value in their vehicles. It never ceases to amaze me the things people leave in their vehicles.”
