For as long as people can remember, dogs have been man’s best friend. They are such loving and loyal animals, and for that, they have been a consistent part of our lives for thousands of years.
However, a family in Utah recently discovered another great reason to keep a pet dog — they help prevent porch pirates.
In case you didn’t know, a porch pirate is the slang term given to criminals who steal packages off of people’s doorsteps. These unscrupulous individuals spend all day following around UPS and US Postal Service couriers, waiting for the moment that the precious packages are dropped for delivery.
Then they sneak up, grab the items, and take off running.
For them, it’s like a treasure hunt.
The porch pirates never know what they are going to find inside the boxes.
All they know is that there could be something valuable in there and that there is only one way to find out. However, as this story out of Ogden, Utah proves, sometimes the criminals get even more than they bargained for.
The family’s security camera shows a man in a grey hoodie and red pants running up to grab a box sitting next to the front door.
Although, the porch pirate’s plan was almost immediately foiled. Little did the criminal know, but the residence was also home to a very scared black lab named Zero.
“[He’s] just a lab that’s scared of everyone and everything,” homeowner Whitney Cahoon explained to Fox News. “I mean, dusters, plastic bags, the cats… he’s terrified of the cats.”
It’s no surprise that when Zero saw the man running up to the porch, that scared him too.
There had been a string of thefts in the neighborhood recently, so everyone was on alert, including the faithful pup.
“People have been trying to steal packages. They’ve caught him on camera, but never here. We are on a very busy street, I didn’t think anyone would ever dare attempt that,” said Cahoon.
The barking caught the attention of Cahoon who then let the dog out to chase down the would-be thief.
“I just kind of yelled ‘Get him, Zero’,” said Cahoon.
Seconds later, the pup went charging after the man, who as it appears, was even more scared than the dog.
The homeowner’s security camera recorded the whole incident.
Zero can be seen chasing the man right to the street where the getaway vehicle, a white SUV, was waiting.
The man jumped in the passenger seat of the rolling vehicle while his accomplice manned the wheel.
This time, the criminals lucked out.
Both of them sped off before the dog was able to take a bite out of them. However, Cahoon thinks that they likely got the message.
“I’m hoping the word spread from them not to mess with us,” said Cahoon.
Hopefully, the police will be able to track down the people responsible in the meantime so that they don’t decide to pray on another family.
The security camera footage will certainly help. Although, unfortunately, porch piracy still remains a growing problem all across America.
With so many people staying at home these days, online shopping has become more popular than ever.
It’s just so convenient. You can have everything you need delivered directly to your home without ever having to step foot outdoors. Yet, that also means more opportunities for criminals to strike. They risk serious jail time and dog bites day in and day out for their bountiful scores.
Some police departments, such as the Washington County Sheriff’s Department in Oregon, have even gone as far as to leave fake bait packages out on porches containing GPS units to try and deter the thieves.
Although, as many avid porch pirates know, the next big treasure could be waiting just around the corner. In this case, Cahoon’s package contained a $4 dimmer switch from IKEA. However, all that the porch pirates got with their attempt was a big scare.
Watch the full video of the dog foiling the porch pirate’s plan below.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
