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SANDY — Police said they arrested three people Wednesday and several others could face charges after some porch thefts caught on doorbell video led to a key tip about the group's whereabouts.
Chris Holland said he was at home around 8 a.m. when he heard a noise at the front door.
"I was looking at my Ring camera on my phone — it had gone off — and saw that somebody had walked up to my porch," Holland said. "He pretended to push the doorbell so if there was anybody around it didn't look like it was anything suspicious, and then he grabbed the package and just kind of ran with it."
The camera captured the unknown man hop into a red truck with a camper shell, which immediately drove away.
Sandy Police Sgt. Greg Moffitt said that was one of two thefts in the neighborhood near 8300 South and 100 East captured around the same time and apparently involving the same thieves.
He said officers with the city's crime suppression unit saw the posts and began looking for the truck when, at around 11:15 a.m., somebody also with an eye on the app spotted the truck and called dispatch with a plate number.
"Our crime suppression unit rallied, sat surveillance for a little bit, watched a total of seven people working collectively," he said.
Our crime suppression unit rallied, sat surveillance for a little bit, watched a total of seven people working collectively.
–Sgt. Greg Moffitt, Sandy Police Department
Moffitt said officers moved in and arrested three people on outstanding warrants while recovering the packages and seizing heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl, marijuana, drug paraphernalia and stolen identity documents.
He said prosecutors will have to screen possible charges in the case, but it was possible everybody in the group that was stopped could face charges of some kind.
"We know that (package theft) is widespread and we want to see if there's any connection with these seven individuals and any other package thefts we've had in our city," Moffitt said.
Holland said he was grateful for watchful eyes on the Ring app as well as the fast action of police.
"I do really appreciate that Sandy police was really quick to respond," he said.
Moffitt urged people during the holiday season to be especially careful with their package deliveries and take extra steps, including electing for signature confirmations and local pickups when nobody is home.
Holland wished package theft wasn't as rampant this time of year.
"Of course it's frustrating," he said. "Yeah. Nobody likes that."
