Please complete your profile to unlock commenting and other important features.

Please select your date of birth for special perks on your birthday. Your username will be your unique profile link and will be publicly used in comments.
Narcity Pro

This is a Pro feature.

Time to level up your local game with Narcity Pro.

Pro

$5/month

$40/year

  • Everything in the Free plan
  • Ad-free reading and browsing
  • Unlimited access to all content including AI summaries
  • Directly support our local and national reporting and become a Patron
  • Cancel anytime.
For Pro members only Pro
Summary

BC Police Are Using 'Bait Packages' With Technology To Catch Holiday Porch Pirates (PHOTO)

No, unfortunately it's not a glitter bomb.

Someone taking a package from a porch. Right: Bait packages.

Someone taking a package from a porch. Right: Bait packages.

Editor

Those pesky porch pirates stealing your holiday packages don't know what's coming for them! The New Westminster Police Department is planting bait packages to catch the thieves in the act, with the help of the local community.

In hopes of reducing the number of stolen packages in the city, the Street Crime Unit, Crime Reduction Unit, and front-line patrol officers are working together to "deploy numerous packages on doorsteps and in mailboxes across the city," police said.

These "bait packages" will be dropped outside the homes, or in the mailboxes, of people who are in on the plan to catch the thieves.

"The packages contain technology that will help police identify and track down anyone who attempts to steal the package," police added.

Media Relations Officer Sergeant Justine Thom said that they hope the bait packages will make any porch pirates out there think twice" before nabbing someone else's delivery.

"Families in New Westminster don't need their holidays ruined by having packages stolen," Thom added.

In addition to this, police are also encouraging people to coordinate delivery times, or ask neighbours to move packages to a safe place when they're not home.

"We're asking people to have items delivered to locations where someone will be available to receive them, such as an office rather than home,” Thom said. "We also encourage people to check their mailboxes regularly and consider shipping insurance for costly items."

It's not just for the holidays either, although this plan is getting rolled out for December. Police said that they plan to use the technology in New Westminster Police all year long.

Some may wish they took a page out of the viral "Glitter Bomb 1.0 vs Porch Pirates" video.

Explore this list   👀

    • Editor

      Morgan Leet (she/her) is an Editor for Narcity Media Group. After graduating from Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communication, she jumped into fulfilling her dream as a journalist, merging her passion for travelling with writing. After working in the print media world on Canada’s East Coast, she joined Narcity with a move to B.C., drawn to the beauty of Western Canada. Since then, she's documented her experience moving to Vancouver, covering everything from local events to bucket-list travel destinations across Canada's West Coast.

    Canada Child Benefit payments for October go out soon and you could get over $1,200 per child

    Your next CCB payment could come with a few extras — here's who's eligible. 👇

    Canada's cheapest grocery stores were revealed and these discount chains came out on top

    Costco made the ranking even though you have to pay for a membership! 👀

    Toronto is about to get speed cameras in 49 new spots, despite Ford's plans to ban them

    Ford's ban might not come quick enough for drivers in these Toronto spots.

    11 cozy places in Canada that'll transport you to a European fairytale during fall

    Skip the transatlantic flight and discover Europe's magic right here at home. 🍂