Norman Police Catching Package Thieves

The Norman Police Department is partnering with the United States Postal Service on a new project this holiday season. The goal is to prevent thieves from stealing packages from people’s homes.

In multiple undercover vehicles, officers are tailing USPS trucks. One unit will follow the mail carrier and note which homes have packages sitting on the front porch. They will let another unit know the addresses, and a different undercover vehicle will swing by to keep an eye out for suspicious people in the area.

Lieutenant Lee McWhorter said it’s all about prevention.

“The more you show up in an area, the more you are present as the police, the more that deters crime.”

He also wants residents to be proactive. McWhorter recommends people send their packages to work or directly to the post office if no one will be home to receive it. He said it is also a good idea to have neighbors keep an eye out for you. When ordering an item, put a note for the delivery service to hide the package. McWhorter calls it a crime of opportunity. Therefore, out of sight, out of mind.

Next year, the department hopes to partner with other delivery services on this effort to prevent package thefts in Norman.