Campbell police fight package thieves with 'bait packages'

Police say this is the time of year when thieves target packages left on door-steps.

One city in the South Bay is taking aim at those thieves with an innovative approach that police hope will act as a deterrent.

John Houghton was hit by a package thief. His surveillance camera showed thieves looking at the package on his porch before inspecting it more closely and taking it.

"It is violating to have something taken off your front doorstep like that. It was a desk for my daughter. She's young and she was just crying in the backseat. she was just very frustrated," he said.

Campbell Police say that kind of package theft happens nearly every day during the holiday season.

Campbell Police are fighting back by putting out some packages of their own. Much like their bait bike program the boxes are bait packages.

They have GPS units inside and will alert officers if they're moved.

"The thieves don't know what packages are going to be real. which package is going to be one of our bait packages. So that's the message. Don't come to Campbell because you don't know if you're going to be arrested for stealing someone's package off their porch," said police.

The hope is the packages will help catch the thieves, while also acting as a deterrent.