APD warns about mass influx of porch pirates

(ALBANY, GA) – In the last few days alone, the Albany Police Department has nearly 30 new cases of porch pirates: People stealing packages from their victim’s front doors, shortly after delivery.

Lieutenant Jon Segroves says that while they’ve already caught a pair of suspects, the porch pirate problem goes beyond the duo, or their city or county lines.

“…I believe that lee county has had some problems as well. This is going to travel, possibly up into the atlanta rea with the same people. So this is a huge crime of opportunity,” says Segroves.

Albany Police say that for many suspects, package theft is a perfect crime of opportunity. With many of them only needing seconds to complete it.

Lt. Segroves tells us, “If they’re riding around and see the package on the porch, they just stop and grab it. I mean, this is a 10 second crime. As long as it takes them to get from the vehicle, to your porch and back, they’re gone.”

Police say that these factors have inspired porch pirates from Florida and Alabama, stealing from people’s front doors here in South Georgia.

“If they have any home video, security video of that, we’re asking for all of those videos. If you don’t have video, but your neighbor does, check with them,” says Lt. Segroves.

If you have security video of porch pirates, you can call the Albany Police Department at (229) 431-2100 to submit video.