Houston Sheriff Deputies Are Using Bait Boxes To Catch Porch Pirates

Sheriff deputies in Houston, Texas, are trying to stop real grinches this holiday season. They're using "bait boxes" to lure porch pirates.

The idea is simple. A deputy from the Harris County Sheriff's Office leaves a regular looking package on someone's front door. Inside the box is a GPS tracker. Once the package is in place, deputies wait until the GPS starts moving before closing in.

A crook doesn't always take the bait, but the stings continue in the hope that it'll deter thieves, KHOU 11 reported.

Package thieves are also getting bolder with their crimes taking place in the middle of the day and in busy neighborhoods. While most people contact the delivery company or the site they purchased the item from when the box goes missing, few people actually report the theft to police.

In Houston, deputies are asking people to report package thefts so they set up stings in areas that are repeatedly targeted, according to ABC 13.

Reporting the crimes also helps authorities bring a case against a thief who steals from multiple homes. In Texas, package theft becomes a first-degree felony if you steal from more than 50 people.

There are some steps people can take to make sure receive their packages, like:

• Have packages sent to the home of a friend or family member who'll be there went it arrives.
• Most major retailers have a "ship to store" option so you can pick items up at your convenience.
• Amazon will deliver to its own self-service lockers upon request. Locker location can be found here.
• USPS can hold packages at the post office for pick up.
• FedEx delivery manager and UPS My Choice offer scheduled delivery and real-time updates about where your packages are.

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