Davenport Police Need Your Help Catching Porch Pirates

We are now in the middle of the holiday season and many of us in the Quad Cities and throughout the country are ordering Christmas and holiday presents online. Amazon, FedEx, UPS, and UPSP drivers are delivering packages on front porches, steps, and mailboxes in time for the holidays. Unfortunately, there are people who steal packages in the Quad Cities who are labeled as "porch pirates." The Davenport Police Department is asking for your help in catching and charging porch pirates in our community.

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If you already don't have a device like Ring Doorbell camera or any other type of camera for your home for security, it wouldn't be a terrible idea to get one now especially if you're expecting many packages to arrive at your house this holiday season. Why? Because if a porch pirate steals your package before you can get it in the house for wrapping, the Davenport Police Department can assist you in catching the perpetrator.

On Monday, the Davenport Police Department reminded residents of its Camera Registration Program during this holiday season. The Camera Registration Program is a way to partner with the Davenport Police Department and allows them to keep Davenport resident's packages and deliveries safe, especially this time of year.

For those who live in Davenport, you can register your camera through the Davenport Police Department which can be used to help solve crimes in the community. Davenport PD says that investigations frequently involve officers searching areas surrounding a crime scene for security cameras.

Officials say that knowing where cameras are located can greatly speed up investigations by allowing officers to prioritize where to begin looking for evidence. Not only does this help with finding porch pirates, but other crimes like car thefts, break-ins, etc.

If you register your cameras(s) with Davenport Police, it is only accessible to law enforcement personnel. The Camera Registration Program is voluntary and does not have access to any cameras or systems. It only documents the camera's locations and the contact information provided by the owner.

While it's a fun idea to be like famous YouTuber Mark Rober and create a glitter and stink bomb package for great video content, if a real package of yours gets stolen, you'll want local law enforcement involved to find your package and the thief.

If you live in Davenport, you can register your camera at www.davenportiowa.com/cameraregistration. If you live in another city in the Quad Cities, check with local law enforcement for similar programs.