Couple Accused Of Stealing Police Bait Package In Sacramento

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SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - The holiday season has come to a close but porch pirates continue to plunder.

On Sunday, Sacramento Police Department's bait package program led to the arrest of two people. According to a police statement, officers cornered the suspects as they were leaving the drive-thru at a McDonald's in Land Park.

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A search of the suspects' vehicle turned up a bait package and narcotics.

Tara Westford, 38, and Ronnie Bartholomew, 48, of West Sacramento were arrested on charges of conspiring to commit petty theft and possession of stolen property. Bartholomew was also arrested on narcotics charges.

Officers are focusing on neighborhoods that have been heavily targeted by thieves multiple package thefts working with neighbors to have bait packages delivered just like any other package.

Police say package thieves aren't stopping their activities just because the busy holiday season is over.

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"They should know the potential is always there for us to have deployed an item for them to steal so we can arrest them for committing those types of crimes," said Matthew MacPhail, a Sacramento Police Department spokesperson.

Criminals often follow delivery trucks, picking up packages after the truck leaves. Police vow to increase bait packages in neighborhoods around the city, putting thieves on alert.