Undercover Mentor Police Battle Porch Pirates

MENTOR, OH — The undercover Porch Pirate detail of Mentor Police will again patrol the city's streets as the holiday shopping season approaches.

Officers will work throughout all of the city's neighborhoods, hiding in unmarked cars, watching streets with surveillance equipment and using bait boxes with GPS tracking units to hook criminals.

"Porch piracy is a crime of opportunity. Thieves will often follow a delivery truck or simply cruise around an area looking for an attractive target. Specifically, these criminals are on the lookout for high value items that they can quickly flip for cash," Mentor officials said.

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Mentor residents can help the undercover police by taking steps to protect themselves, namely: track your online orders and know where they're at and when they're expected at your house, remove delivered items from your porch as soon as you can, and consider investing in security cameras if you can afford them.

"Finally, be a good neighbor and keep an eye out for each other. If you see a suspicious car, or a theft in progress, jot down the license plate and contact the police. A description of a suspect or their vehicle, a partial license plate, stolen property, and other factors can lead to an arrest," Mentor officials said.

If you think you've already been targeted by porch pirates, or are otherwise the victim of a theft, call Mentor police at 440-255-1234.