Police team up with postal inspectors to catch package thieves

Police departments all over western Washington are teaming up with the U.S. Postal Service to catch thieves who want to steal packages off your porch.

In the South Sound, authorities said a pair of porch pirates stole packages and more than 150 pieces of mail from more than 20 homes in Puyallup.

In the North Sound, some thieves are even disguising themselves as delivery drivers.

“It’s gross. It’s a gross feeling knowing that we have been robbed in daylight with people home,” said Joshua McFalls, a victim of package theft in Snohomish County.

It’s got so bad on the Eastside, a postal inspector is now embedded with Bellevue police.

“We now have the same postal inspector on-site with us full time. He works now out of the Bellevue Police Department and works with us to follow up on these investigations of these thefts and the rings that are behind them,” said Capt. Joe Nault.

Nault said mail and package thefts have surged — up 72% from this time last year.

He said it’s driven by the pandemic. But not just because more people are ordering online.

“The criminal elements — that’s out there stealing these valuables — have been denied their normal sources for theft like shoplifting and things like that. They’ve had to find alternative sources to find stuff that they can steal and convert into cash,”  Nault added.

Postal inspectors are also working with other area law enforcement agencies to catch the thieves in the act.

“We’ll be out there. We’ll be looking for you. And you never know when myself, my partner, anybody else on my team is going to hop out and grab you for stealing somebody’s package at a time you may not realize it’s happening,” said U.S. Postal Inspector John Wiegand.

Cox Media Group