With the holiday shopping season ramping up, Columbus police are doing their part to prevent porch pirates from ruining Christmas.

Officials with Columbus Police Department’s Property Crimes Unit, Special Operations, the 911 Center, the Records Room, and the detectives and patrol officers conducted three separate porch pirate operations over the past several weeks on three different days at various locations throughout Columbus. The operation comes after police received multiple reports from residents whose packages were being stolen from their homes.

“This was deliberate enforcement during one of the busiest delivery periods of the year,” police said. “Officers placed decoy packages, monitored activity, and made arrests when packages were taken.”

During these operations, 23 decoy packages were stolen, resulting in 17 arrests and 31 total charges. Additional arrest warrant cases related to porch piracy investigations are still pending. 

The following individuals were arrested during the operations:

• Dakaeden Williams, 19, is charged with felony porch piracy and three counts of theft by taking following arrest warrants by property crimes. 

• Dashauna Wilborn, 41, is charged with theft by taking and violation of probation warrant.

• Marlon Mobley, 32, is charged with theft by taking

• Myeesha Banks, 26, is charged with theft by taking.

• David Heyliger, 23, is charged with theft by taking.

• D’Mari Sackey, 20, is charged with theft by taking.

• Lawrence Day, 40, is charged with two counts of theft by taking.

• Tycorie Harris, 20, is charged with two counts of theft by taking.

• Taylor Jones, 26, is charged with two counts of theft by taking.

•Juvenile is charged with two counts of theft by taking.

• James Waldon, 70, is charged with theft by taking.

• Michael Seldon, 54, is charged with theft by taking.

• Charles Render, 62, is charged with theft by taking.

• Manuel Yaccarino, 35, is charged with theft by taking.

• Troy Cardwell, 32, is charged with two counts of theft by taking.

• Dominique Kelley, 32, is charged with theft by taking and a forgery in the fourth degree warrant 

• Natika Kirsh, 28, is charged with two counts of theft by taking and a violation of probation warrant.

With the exception of Williams, all suspects were caught in the act during the operations. Williams was the only individual with outstanding porch piracy and theft warrants tied to separate cases.

“These are property crimes, but during the holiday season they hit harder,” said Chief Stoney Mathis. “Property crimes are classified as Part 1 crimes, and they often lead to larger criminal activity, including violent crime. We address them early and aggressively.”

Police have promised to continue proactive enforcement efforts targeting package theft, and they say residents continuing to report suspicious activity remains a critical part of this operation.