Columbia police arrest two suspected porch pirates
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Columbia Police Department arrested two women believed to be responsible for stealing numerous packages from Columbia residents' porches.
Kendall Gillespie, 25, and Jana Gardner, 43, were arrested yesterday. The two Columbia residents were arrested for stealing, fraudulent use of a debit/credit card and possession of a controlled substance.
CPD said officers are on alert for suspicious activity and are actively following up on reports of stolen packages.
CPD does offer advice on how homeowners can keep their packages safe during the holidays. This includes purchasing video doorbells to deter porch pirates.
"Video footage also helps our detectives and officers identify suspects if the camera doesn't deter theft," CPD said on Twitter.
Advertising if your home is protected by security cameras or a security system is also advised. According to a study conducted by the University of North Carolina, 83% of burglars try to determine if a house has a system and 87% of burglars would move onto another home.
When available, tracking your packages to arrival can help homeowners quickly retrieve them once they are delivered.
Some places like Amazon offer lockers placed throughout the City, CPD advises those who can't always get their packages right away to look at using these lockers.
Porch lock boxes may also be a good way to prevent theft. Most delivery services offer a place to write delivery instructions, where you can provide instructions for the delivery driver on how to access the box.
CPD said if you are a victim of any kind of theft you can call 311 to file a non-emergency police report.
