Amazon teams up with US police to catch would-be parcel theives

Online giant Amazon has teamed up with New Jersey police this Christmas season to catch would-be parcel thieves in the act. Police in Jersey City are installing doorbell cameras and GPs-fitted dummy parcels offered by Amazon for the sting operation.

According to Jersey City Police, the operation has so far been a success. “We had a box out on the street for three minutes before it was taken,” police captain James Crecco told the Associated Press (AP). “We thought it was a mistake at first.”

According to AP, Amazon has been working closely with the Jersey City police, providing them with free equipment for the sting operation as well as data mapping out the areas in the city where most thefts take place.

“Most of the package thefts we’ve made arrests on revolve around (closed-circuit TV) or private surveillance cameras that give us a still image,” Jersey City Police Chief Michael Kelly added. “With the bait packages, some will be under video surveillance, and some will have GPS.”

According to Jersey City police the program has been approved by a municipal prosecutor after undergoing a legal review, and the department hopes to further expand the program.

An Amazon spokesperson told AP: "We appreciate the increased effort by local law enforcement to tackle package theft and remain committed to assisting however we can."

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