'Porch Pirate' Uses Candy Sales as Decoy During Alleged Maryland Package Theft

A so-called porch pirate used a box of candy as a pretext to approach a home in Laurel, Maryland, on Monday evening, July 15, and hide a package before ringing a doorbell, police said. In footage captured by a doorbell camera, a man can be seen on the porch picking up a package and quickly tossing it into the bushes before ringing the bell. Though the video did not capture any figure stealing the package, it was gone when the residents got home. The alleged thief was the second posted by the Howard County Police Department on July 15, the first day of Amazon’s Prime Day sale. Another porch pirate was reported in Elkridge. Police told local media that popular shopping times – such as around the December holidays and Amazon Prime Day – are especially active times for porch pirates. Credit: Howard County Police Department via Storyful