Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a man suspected of stealing packages from the front porch of a home earlier this month.
A resident in the 100 block of Walnut Avenue in Santa Barbara reported the stolen packages on October 11 and had home surveillance video of the theft.
Sheriff’s officials say deputies eventually identified the suspect as Guillermo Gomez, 44, and arrested him at his Santa Barbara home on October 30.
Gomez was reportedly booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on charges of petty theft and possession of stolen property.
The sheriff’s office says deputies were able to recover the stolen property and return it to the victim.
Sheriff’s officials offered the following tips to help ensure the safe delivery of your packages:
- Set up alternative delivery/pickup options through your local delivery services. Whether the majority of your packages are delivered by the U.S. Postal Service, UPS, or FedEx, each offers alternative delivery and pickup options. For example, UPS has an expanding Access Point network that provides for delivery and pickup of packages at local grocery or convenience stores in various neighborhoods. Let the delivery company know when you will be home.
- Discourage thieves from targeting your residence with a few strategic home security devices. Home surveillance cameras can be effective crime deterrents. Your home security cameras should be prominently displayed where potential criminals can see them, yet high enough to prevent them from being tampered with. Outdoor security lighting and a home alarm system can also be effective crime deterrents.
- Keep an eye out for suspicious vehicles and subjects in your neighborhood. Putting a stop to package theft and residential burglaries is a team effort. Talk to your neighbors and encourage everyone to keep an eye out for suspicious activity (an individual or vehicle following a delivery truck, a stranger removing a package from outside a residence, etc). Please report suspicious activity to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office by calling 911. If you need to report a theft which occurred earlier, you may go to http://www.sbsheriff.org/ to file an online report or call the non-emergency number at (805) 681-4100.
