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Oh, Cr ... Package Thieves Find Pet Waste Not Wasted On Them

CORONA (CBSLA.com) — Thieves stealing packages from porches in Corona are probably wishing they got lumps of coal this Christmas.

It's better than what they actually got.

"Dirty diapers and poop," Michaela Roekle said.

She's been scooping up fecal matter from her Labrador retriever Midnight from his grassy backyard bathroom and adding in some special presents from her son Braven, who is 2, and re-gifting them with a little karma and bubble wrap.

"So when they shake it, you can't hear that there is anything on the inside," Roekle said "and we've printed out fake labels that look like they're from the Navy. We've Googled to make sure we get legit labels, too."

She's part of "Package of Poop on the Porch Week" on Facebook, encouraging Corona residents to stop holiday porch pirates by leaving out stinky surprises.

The trend was inspired in part by security video from Las Vegas after a homeowner decided to take the theft problem into his own hands.

He installed cameras outside his house that captured a young thief lunging toward a package and then swiping it, not knowing it was filled with pet droppings.

Back in Corona, Roekle has no regrets about the putting out the No. 2 because her family will always be No. 1.

"My grandma's sending my kids stuff that she's hand made, and it's getting snatched," she said, "so we're trying to make sure that our kids get their Christmas presents this year."

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