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ALAMEDA — Police are warning residents that some people posing as utility workers and wearing fluorescent clothing are really package thieves.
The city’s Police Department has posted a video on its Facebook page showing a package theft in progress along with three suspects. At least one was wearing fluorescent clothing similar to those worn by utility workers. In the video, the suspects give inconsistent answers to a police officer’s questions and drive away, ignoring the officer’s orders to stop. Police later found the suspects and identified the vehicle as a stolen one.
According to the Police Department, thieves have been following delivery vans and looking for unattended packages left by the deliverers. The thefts have often happened during the day when no one is at the homes being robbed. Police urge residents to make sure they are available when packages are delivered and to track them. They also say it would not be a bad idea to have packages delivered to a resident’s place of employment or to ask a trusted neighbor to collect mail and packages when residents are away from home.
“The success of the Alameda Police Department is enhanced by the active involvement of the community,” the department wrote in its post. “We cannot stress enough the importance of reporting suspicious behavior to help officers prevent or interrupt a potential crime — especially porch pirates.”
