Police in Cambridge, Massachusetts, are leaving a decoy package on some local porches this holiday season in an effort to catch would-be thieves.
Cambridge police have started using a "bait package" equipped with a small GPS device that allows officers to track anyone who tries to steal it.
Police spokesman Jeremy Warnick says nearby officers get a text message when the package is moved and can monitor its movement to confront the thief.
"If it’s moved, our offices will receive an alert notification," said Warnick.
It's meant to catch criminals who target packages left on porches amid increased online shopping around the holidays.
"This has been an issue in Cambridge," said Warnick. "It is a fairly aggressive strategy. If anything, it's a deterrent."
It's a tactic that Brookline Police Detective Carlos Crespo says they started using on bicycle thieves a few years ago.
"Every time we put out a bike, we catch somebody, pretty much," he said.
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The package has been left at some homes with multiple thefts in the past. So far it has not led to any arrests.
Police say they notify residents and their neighbors before leaving the decoy.
