TOWSON, MD -- Residents in one Baltimore County community say they are fed up with crime and they are taking matters into their own hands – with their porch cameras.
Neighbors in the Ruxton-area Thornleigh community are putting their money where their mouth is and fighting crime with surveillance cameras.
Neighbors say with nearly three dozen crimes from home break-ins and stolen vehicles reported in their community last year, they have decided to install surveillance equipment and signs that warn criminals to stay away.
The cameras capture the images of incoming traffic and people and the information can only be assessed by police.
Neighbors are spending about $2,000 dollars per camera, per year to help battle crime in their community.
Many homeowners buy surveillance cameras to crack down on porch pirates.
In Georgia, porch pirates could soon face a stiffer penalty for stealing packages.
Suwanee lawmaker Bonnie Rich has introduced a bill in the state House that makes stealing someone's packages a felony, no matter the value.It's currently a misdemeanor if the package is worth under $500 dollars.
Rich says there's an epidemic of porch piracy right now.
The AJC cites a report that found over one-in-three people in the U.S. have been victims of package theft.