As more and more Americans turn to online shopping for everything from gifts to groceries, package theft from porches is a growing problem, especially during the holiday season.

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One Texas police department is taking a different approach in trying to catch porch thieves.

Operation Grinch Pinch is a partnership between the police department and the community in Fort Worth, Texas, according to KTVT-TV.

The police have outfitted packages with tracking devices and recruited volunteers with video home surveillance systems, KTVT reported. Packages are placed on porches and visible from the street. Once the package is snatched, officers begin monitoring its movements and once it stops moving, they hope to move in and make an arrest.

The program is scheduled to run through the end of the year, with a decision in the future on whether to continue the program.

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Ceudy Gutierrez reads a book to her 2-year-old son, Matias, at their home in Buford, GA, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Ceudy Gutierrez is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her three young kids following her husband’s ICE arrest earlier this fall. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez