Quincy Police on Tuesday arrested a father and daughter for stealing gift packages from outside residences in the North Quincy area and a UPS employee on charges of stealing parcels.
Michael Ritchie, 58, of 490 Union St., Rockland, and Jennifer Ritchie, 19, of 175 Billings Road in Quincy, were charged with larceny over $250.
Police responded to a report of a theft from Freeman Street at 4:53 p.m. The alleged victim provided a description of a Ford pick-up truck leaving the scene, police Capt. John Dougan said.
Officers pulled over the truck shortly afterward and questioned Michael Ritchie. A search of the truck produced a Panasonic speaker system that was reported stolen by the Freeman Street resident with a shipping label attached, Dougan said.
Police questioned Jennifer Ritchie at her home and retrieved numerous packages they believe were stolen from porches in the North Quincy area.
Residents with missing delivery items should contact the Quincy detective bureau, Dougan said.
Later on Tuesday, a part-time UPS employee was charged with stealing packages from a delivery truck.
Michael McClellan, 30, of 61 Bay View St., Quincy, was charged with larceny over $250 and larceny from a common carrier, Dougan said. UPS security notified police about suspicious activity by McClellan, who was hired as a part-time “runner” to deliver packages from a delivery truck to homes.
Police recovered stolen property from a personal bag that McLellan had left in the UPS truck, Dougan said. They also found unopened packages including DVDs that McClellan had hidden in the woods, Dougan said.
Similar incidents have cropped up elsewhere in the state.
Authorities arrested two Somerville residents in connection with an investigation of multiple package thefts from area residents.Somerville police said they, along with other greater Boston Police Departments, have been investigating reports of thieves taking advantage of the seasonal spike in express deliveries by stealing packages from porches and doorways.
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