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Police Warn Of 'Porch Pirates' In Reseda

RESEDA (CBSLA.com) — Detectives Thursday released a photo of a woman stealing packages from residential porches in the San Fernando Valley.

Around 4:30 p.m. on July 12, a woman in her 20s was captured on security camera taking home-delivered pet medicine from a porch located in the 7800 block of Lasaine Avenue.

"We refer to the as Porch Pirates," explained Capt. Paul Vernon. "In the age of online shopping, it's a growing common trend. Neighbors working together can harden the target against Porch Pirates."

Police warned that most of the theft tends to occur during the day while residents are away.

"We share the public's frustration about this type of crime," Vernon added. "The good news is, thanks to public tips, we have made several arrests recently of persons involved in these thefts. We'll have to remain persistent and focused as porch pirating isn't going away."

Officers advised the public to have packages delivered to locations where a person is home, to a vendor's local store for pick up, or to have it held by the delivery company for personal pick up.

Residents may also ask for a notification when a package is delivered in order to have a neighbor pick it up. Adding delivery instructions such as requiring a signature upon delivery or where to place parcels will also protect against theft.

Detectives pointed out the suspect was seen wearing a patterned purse that has a purple strap, hoping someone may identify her this way.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is urged to contact the Los Angeles Police Department at (818) 374-7674.

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