https://archive.triblive.com/local/westmoreland/north-huntingdon-police-credit-public-with-helping-to-id-accused-package-bandit/
North Huntingdon Police credit public with helping to ID accused package bandit
Stephanie Strasburg | Trib Total Media
With more than 600 million packages being mailed between Thanksgiving and Christmas, thieves have ample opportunity to snatch boxes from doorsteps. Having packages delivered to a local UPS location is one suggestion police and experts say can help avoid theft. Pictured here, packages at the UPS Store in the South Side on Friday, Nov. 27, 2015.
North Huntingdon police said Wednesday that, with help from the public, they quickly identified a man who allegedly stole packages off a front porch Monday.
Jaime T. Shipley, 22, who lives in the township, was charged by Detective Tom Harris with receiving stolen property and theft in connection with taking multiple packages that were delivered to First Street residents. The complaints were filed before District Judge Wayne Gongaware and mailed via summons.
“We put that information and the photographs out there via social media and almost instantly began receiving a lot of telephone calls identifying (Shipley) as a suspect,” Harris said.
“The public really helped us out here,” he said.
Police said two incidents, one in the township and another in Irwin, occurred about 2:30 p.m. Monday. The suspect drove a four-door, gold- or silver-colored vehicle in both thefts, police said.
Harris released a photograph of a suspect taken by a surveillance camera of the theft in the township.
Harris said he will exchange information with Irwin police about the theft there.
Gongaware has tentatively scheduled a preliminary hearing for Shipley on Jan. 10.
Paul Peirce is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-850-2860, ppeirce@tribweb.com or via Twitter @ppeirce_trib.
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