WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ore. — That special delivery you're expecting is also the loot porch pirates are trying to plunder, especially these last few days before Christmas as last-minute gifts pour in.
The Washington County Sheriff's Office is teaming up with the U.S. Postal Service to deliver bait packages containing tracking devices.
"We're getting real-time movements so we can track people; the accuracy is really good, and we can get on somebody really quickly," Sgt. Cliff Lascink told KGW.
This week, deputies arrested two people accused of stealing a baited package, including Natashia Gomez, who faces felony mail theft and second-degree theft charges.
Lascink said videos of porch pirates caught on camera should remind everyone of what to watch out for.
"Talk to your neighbors, find alternative means, sign for the package — just figure out a different way that may be a little more hastle for you, but in the end, it's a much bigger hassle if something gets stolen," he said.
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Meanwhile, Multnomah County Sheriff's Office investigators are warning about people calling anyone whose number they can get, posing as law enforcement.
The scammers will often dig up the names of real police officers and claim the person they're calling has a warrant, unpaid court fines or missed jury duty. Then, they try to get the victim to pay a fake fine with gift cards or money sent through cash apps right away — or face "arrest."
Multnomah County Sheriff's officials said that happened to a local family, who had been recently scammed out of $20,000.