The past November 23the yonkers police, New York, arrested three people suspected of stealing packages from a building in the Bronx River Highway. According to a report by ABCthe authorities responded to an emergency call where they reported the presence of three suspicious individuals in the area, among the criminals, the woman was wearing a Santa Claus hat.
When they arrived at the scene, the agents found the suspects trying to hide behind a nearby vehicle, with several packages of Amazon open and without content. Subsequently, it was confirmed that the packages had been stolen from the lobby of a building located in the number 345 of the same road.
The identity of the detainees was revealed: Adriana Torres of 41 yearsresident of Bronx; Manuel Ortiz of 42 yearsresident of Yonkers; y Vladymir Camposof 48 yearsresident of Queens. They all faced charges for petty theft, criminal possession of stolen property y possession of burglary tools. As indicated by authorities, the three individuals were indicted on multiple charges, including petty theft.
The Yonkers Police Department posted the video on social media with a satirical comment, saying: “We don’t think Santa would appreciate Ms. Torres wearing his hat while trying to steal Christmas.” This same source added: “These Grinch “They learned the hard way that the Yonkers Police Department does not tolerate package theft in our city.”
This incident reflects a growing trend of package thefts during the holiday season in the United States. According to a report by SafeWiseapproximately 260 million packages were stolen in 2021, an increase from 210 million the previous year. Besides, Security.org reported that as of November 12, 2024, 58 million Americans were victims of these thefts, with losses estimated at $12 billion, according to data cited by Telemundo
Authorities have observed that the thieves, known as “porch pirates”take advantage of the increase in deliveries during the holidays to steal packages from people’s doors. Although in this case the events took place in Yonkers, cities like Seattle, San Francisco y Austin have recorded high rates of this crime, according to the cited reports.
Concern about the increase in these crimes during the Christmas season led authorities to advise residents on how to protect their deliveries. Some of these recommendations include receiving deliveries at locations where they are present and using tracking notifications. In addition, they recommend being attentive to suspicious activities in the neighborhood and reporting them to the Yonkers Police Department.
In a clear message to discourage future similar crimes, the yonkers police He pointed out that both his uniformed officers like the civilian They are intensifying the rounds during the christmas season. They highlight the importance of reporting any irregularity to the local emergency number.
To prevent these thefts, Yonkers Police recommend:
- Request deliveries at times when someone is home.
- Use tracking numbers and delivery notifications.
- Ask that packages be placed in less visible places.
- Take advantage of locker services or pick up packages at distribution centers.
- Report suspicious activity to the Yonkers Police Department at (914) 377-7900.
