During the first week of Dec. 2020, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – along with the SeaTac Police Department and King County Sheriffs Office – conducted a proactive package theft operation entitled Operation Safe Delivery, with the intent to locate and arrest package thieves (‘porch pirates’) in the City of SeaTac.

    • Throughout the course of the week, police say that five suspects were taken into custody in the possession of stolen packages.
    • Three suspects (two males and one female) were booked into jail on charges of Theft 3rd Degree, and two suspects were released at the scene pending further investigation and charging.

“A theft of a package around this time of year is especially disappointing for families in our community,” said Inspector in Charge Anthony Galetti of the Postal Inspection Service’s Seattle Division. “Thanks to the help of SeaTac PD and King County Sheriffs Office. we were able to remove several of these criminals from the streets. This should serve as a warning to others: we are proactively pursuing mail and package theft. Our Inspectors and law enforcement partners work every day to better the community we serve.”

Police offered the following tips for citizens to follow:

    • Don’t leave delivered mail and packages unattended.
    • Going out of town? Hold mail at the local post office.
    • Have a friend or trusted neighbor remove your packages from your porch for safe keeping.
    • If you suspect you have been a victim of mail or package theft, please report it to your local police department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (www.uspis.gov/report).

For more information on protecting your holiday mail, visit www.uspis.gov/holiday-readiness/.