Dixon cops to bait porch pirates with glitter bomb packages
"Because, 2020," the agency said on Friday.
(Photo: A man opens a package containing a glitter bomb. Image courtesy YouTube)
The Dixon Police Department on Friday announced it would carry out a bait program to deter would-be thieves from stealing packages left in front of residences.
In a social media post on Friday, the agency referred to the thieves as “porch pirates,” which it described as “the lowest form of oxygen bandits on the planet — the ones who steal your packages off the porch or driveway.”
“As if this year was enough of a slap to the throat, don’t make it worse by allowing yourself to be victimized by these mouth-breathers,” the police department said.
To deter package thieves, the Dixon Police Department said it would soon place GPS-enabled bait boxes throughout town.
“If you’re dumb enough to steal one, it alerts us that you’ve taken it, where you are, and ink-bombs you…and this year, we’ve added a glitter bomb, which should adhere nicely to the ink. Because, 2020.”
The police department didn’t say specifically when it would start dropping off the packages or how many would be distributed through town, if any.
The warning comes as retailers are shifting their holiday sales online due to the global coronavirus health pandemic, which is causing a spike in demand for shipping and other parcel delivery services. The demand is so high that shipping service UPS directed its drivers to stop fulfilling orders from some retailers, including Nike and Gap, according to a memo obtained by the Wall Street Journal on Friday.
With the increase in online orders, the Dixon police department passed along a news article from CNBC that offered tips on how residents can keep their packages from falling into the hands of thieves. Consumer advocates encourage residents who are having packages delivered to take advantage of signature-confirmation features or to have deliveries held at a local post office.
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