Police Ask for Help Identifying Suspects in Porch Piracy Cases

Las Cruces police are asking the public to be on the lookout for at least two men who have been known to follow delivery vehicles and steal packages from their intended destination.

Shortly before 11 a.m. on Jan. 25, a FedEx delivery van, equipped with a dash camera, recorded video of the suspect vehicle as a passenger walked toward a home and stole a package that had just been delivered. The intended recipient of that package also witnessed the event.

Las Cruces police obtained the video from FedEx and identified the suspect vehicle as a gray Hyundai Sonata. The registered owner of the vehicle was also identified. The owner told police he frequently loans the car to friends and acquaintances. Police are asking for the public’s help identifying the driver of the gray Hyundai and the passenger who was seen stealing a package from the 1300 block of Burley Ct. Police believe the pair are responsible for other similar thefts.

Anyone with information on their identities is asked to call police at (575) 526-0795. The Las Cruces Police Department is actively conducting an undercover operation to combat porch piracy. The operation has already resulted in one arrest.

The Las Cruces Police Departments suggests following these tips to help prevent porch piracy:

• Track deliveries online and try to be home at the time packages are delivered.
• Require a signature for all home delivery packages.
• When scheduling a delivery, leave instructions on where the package can be delivered.
• Request electronic notification when delivery is made.
• Ask a trusted friend or neighbor to receive your package at the time of delivery.
• If possible, have the package delivered to your place of employment or a location where you know it can be securely received.
• Schedule online purchases from big box retailers to be delivered to their local store where you can arrange for curbside pickup.
• Have the package delivered to a FedEx or UPS store where it can be held for pickup.
• Consider installing a motion-detection home security system, such as a Ring or Nest, that records video and sends immediate notice of activity to your smartphone.
• Be a good neighbor, watch for suspicious activity and call police if it is seen.

Consumers might also consider purchasing insurance for the contents of packages at the time delivery is scheduled. Insuring the items does not prevent them from being stolen but does help provide restitution if items go missing.