SPOKANE, Wash. — Are you missing a package this holiday season? The Spokane Police Department (SPD) is taking steps to combat package theft through its new social media program "Theft investigations: Help us identify!" located on the SPD Facebook page.
SPD will be posting on the page pictures of individuals. People can visit the page and attempt to help identify suspects involved in active theft investigations by sending tips related to the identities of the individuals to thefttips@spokanepolice.org.
The dedicated investigator will follow up on leads and charge individuals when probable cause is established. People can request to remain anonymous.
SPD said there may be multiple pictures in one case. Each package theft incident will have a case number, and people are asked to specify the case and photo number/s they are referring to in their email.
The social media program will be running throughout the holiday shopping season.
SPD asked people to take the following proactive measures to avoid becoming a victim of packaging theft:
- Minimize the amount of time a package sits outside your door.
- Coordinate with neighbors or have a package delivered to a place of work if you aren’t going to be home.
- Try and arrange your porch in such a fashion that a package can be left where it won’t be visible from the roadway.
If you have been a victim of package theft, police advise that you report it to Crime Check via phone at 509-456-2233 or report it online at SREC911.org.
If people have security camera footage of the incident, they need to note it in an online report or notify the report taker while speaking with them on the phone. They also need to save the footage if they have it, and an investigator will contact them and provide instructions so that footage can be viewed. Photos can be still be uploaded to the online report, SPD said.
SPD said just because an individual is depicted in the photo album that is not an indication or guilt or wrong doing. It simply means SPD investigators would like them identified as they may have pertinent information relating to an investigation.