Tampa Police Create Hilarious Video To Warn Of Package Thefts

TAMPA, FL -- Tampa may be a long way from Whoville, but there are still plenty of Grinches in the area who want to steal your Christmas, and your packages.

That's the message of a comical public service video produced by the Tampa Police Department and posted on its Facebook page to warn residents to beware of thieves who steal just-delivered packages off of front porches.

The police department recruited resident LeRoy Vanek and his dog, Mojo, to play the Grinch and the Grinch's dog, Max. Posted on Friday, the video was an instant hit. It's now had nearly 17,000 views on Facebook.

Each holiday season, law enforcement agencies are inundated with complaints about porch pirates who wait for delivery truck drivers to leave packages on front porches and then swipe them before the homeowner has a chance to bring them indoors.

This week, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office identified two women, and arrested one, who have been stealing packages in the Riverview, Florida, area (see related story).

Among the victims was Noel Rivera. A home security camera on Rivera's front porch caught the two women stealing five packages that had just been delivered to his home. The packages contained Christmas gifts for his two sons.

But, in addition to real-life Grinches, Rivera discovered there are also real-life Christmas elves in his community. When they heard about the theft, two members of his church, River of Life Christian Church, came to his door bearing gifts for his kids to replace those that were stolen.

To ensure that you don't become a victim of holiday Grinches, the Tampa Police Department offers the following tips:

• Track packages online so you know when they are going to be delivered and can watch for them.
• Require a signature for deliveries rather than have the delivery truck driver simply drop off packages.
• Monitor your front porch with a security camera. While it didn't stop thieves from taking Rivera's packages, it did help catch them.
• Arrange a delivery time when you know someone will be at home.
• Pick up your packages from your local post office or ask a neighbor who you know will be home to accept them.

Click here for more holiday safety tips.

Video via Tampa Police

(For more local news from Florida, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)