With holiday joy also, sadly, comes holiday thefts. Some folks who might otherwise find themselves on Santa’s naughty list take matters into their own hands and steal their own gifts by taking delivered packages from those to whom they were originally sent.
You know, like the legendary Grinch, who tried to steal Christmas. It didn’t work for him, and the Fort Worth Police Department is working to make sure it doesn’t work for other culprits.
And they can use your help if you want to be a part of a new program they’re implementing.
During the holiday season, package thefts are a major issue in cities, and Fort Worth is no different. To limit the amount of package thefts, the FWPD’s Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) has instituted a multi-stage and detailed baited package program called “Operation Grinch Pinch.” The plan involves packages provided by FWPD’s Electronic Surveillance Unit (ESU), cooperation from select community members, and daily monitoring of the baited packages by the RTCC.
Individuals chosen to participate in the program must have an active home video monitoring system that has the ability to record activity 24 hours per day. The chosen individuals are briefed on the details of Grinch Pinch and cannot divulge that they are cooperating with law enforcement.
Those chosen are required to place the GPS baited package on their front porch, making sure it can be seen from the street.
Packages are geo-fenced, allowing the RTCC to monitor the packages for any movement outside the target location. Upon any movement outside of the target location, the RTCC will notify patrol officers. Once the package is recovered and the individual(s) responsible for the theft is taken into custody, the baited package will be recovered.
Once Grinch Pinch is completed, crime analysts will determine the program’s effect on package thefts across the city. Grinch Pinch was implemented on Dec. 1 and will conclude at the end of the year.
https://police.fortworthtexas.gov/
