Riverside neighbors’ tips bring arrest in porch package thefts

Thanks to reports from several neighbors in Riverside, police were able to find and apprehend a woman they suspect is linked to the theft of packages from several porches in the neighborhood.

People began calling 911 at about 1:30 p.m. Monday, reporting a woman using a red car who was taking packages left on porches, Lt. James Espinoza said Tuesday. The calls continued to come in over the next two hours.

Using a Facebook group page, Riverside residents warned their neighbors of the threat, Espinoza said. Officers ultimately found the suspect on Franklin and arrested her just after 4:15 p.m. on Monday.

Investigators identified nine victims in the Riverside area and recovered the stolen packages and returned them to their owners, Espinoza said.

“The communication and teamwork of the Riverside community was a huge help in addressing a crime trend and locating a suspect,” the Wichita Police Department posted on its Facebook page.

This story was originally published December 22, 2015 at 1:48 PM with the headline "Riverside neighbors’ tips bring arrest in porch package thefts."