Police charge women with stealing parcels from doorsteps in Wanneroo

Social media has saved Christmas after security camera images of a woman allegedly stealing parcels from doorsteps went viral, helping police charge two northern suburbs women. 

"Thanks for the tips social networkers," Wanneroo police officers tweeted on Thursday morning after charging the 25-year-old Hocking woman and 26-year-old Wanneroo woman.

On Wednesday, more than one local resident had posted CCTV images of the woman who appeared to take off with the parcels, only a day after Wanneroo police had tweeted a warning about parcel theft. 

Social media saves Christmas after images of a Perth woman allegedly stealing parcels went viral.

"Who would think that on a Tuesday afternoon someone would be driving past to pick up someone else's property? It's just beyond me. It's disgusting," one victim, Kate, told Nine News.

Mervyn and Gail McIlroy said they were robbed of their Christmas delivery on Monday and told Nine they thought the footage showed one of the women tailing a courier's van.

"So she's targeting every house looking for those Christmas parcels; it's sick," Mrs McIlroy told the station.

Some of the items that were recovered. Photo: WA Police

"That's the reason I put it on Facebook, put it on Crime Watch, because of the presents - not for what I've lost, because it isn't much, but for everyone else and the children that are losing out."

Officer-in-charge Senior Sergeant  Simon Hazell said it was typical for parcel thefts to increase around Christmas and warned residents not to leave delivered parcels unattended.  

"It's not just a Wanneroo problem, it's a whole metro area problem at this time of year," he said.

CCTV footage captured the woman apparently making off with parcels.

"Opportunistic thieves are looking for people who are getting deliveries, especially those deliveries of Kris Kringle stuff where you pay for it all year – they target the hampers." 

LPT3 have 2 Xmas grinches in custody. 25yr old from Hocking & 26yr old from Wanneroo. Thanks for the tips social networkers. #fb #viral

— Wanneroo Police (@WannerooPolice) December 16, 2015

The woman apparently eyes off a doorstep.

Senior Sergeant Hazell encouraged residents expecting parcels to contact their supplier to ensure parcels wouldn't be delivered without a signature.

"Contact your supplier... if you're not going to be home, get the items delivered to Australia Post or let them know if you're not home, to please take [the parcel] back to the post office," he said. 

The charges came as the the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission warned residents to be aware of another kind of Grinch-like scam, in which emails purporting to be from parcel delivery services infect victims' computers with viruses. 

The CCTV reveals the woman as driving a red Hyundai.

The scam that has already seen $80,000 stolen in 2015 has ramped up significantly ahead of Christmas, the consumer watchdog warned.

In the first two weeks of December, it has received 100 reports of scammers posing as legitimate post services, and then attempting to infect victims' computers with software that holds their computer's files for ransom.

The scam comes in the form of a personally addressed email purporting to be from a service such as Australia Post or FedEx, complete with fraudulent logos, advising the victim a parcel is being held for them.

When the victim clicks on an attachment or link, ransomware is installed that freezes their computer or files before demanding money to unlock them again.

- with Heather McNeill

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