Residents urged to watch for package thieves

HAYDEN - A homeowner caught a would-be thief trying to steal a package off a porch Friday, according to a Kootenai County Sheriff's Department press release.

About 2:30 p.m. on the 1400 block of W. Cardinal Avenue, a homeowner confronted an adult male who had just picked up a package from the homeowner's porch, deputies said. The male dropped the package and fled.

The suspect's vehicle was described as a 1990s model green Ford pickup. Deputies could not locate the vehicle or suspect Friday, the release said.

Other residents in the neighborhood were contacted and might have had packages taken as well, deputies said. The incident is under investigation.

The sheriff's department urged residents to be vigilant this holiday season, and encouraged them to call authorities if they suspect someone is following a package delivery vehicle or "cruising" their neighborhood.