Two 'porch pirates' caught, stolen items recovered, West Des Moines police say
Tyler J. DavisA pair of "porch pirates" have been arrested for allegedly swiping packages from two West Des Moines homes, according to police.
Ryan Timothy Bissett, 30, and Rebecca Sue Huss, 33, have both been charged with fourth-degree theft. Bissett also faces a charge of possession of a controlled substance and Huss was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.
The stolen property was recovered Wednesday afternoon while West Des Moines police were serving a search warrant at Bissett's home in the 300 block of 88th Street, according to online court records. The items were found near a Christmas tree inside an apartment and the couple was detained after officers observed them entering and leaving the home.
A search warrant was also executed for Bissett's silver Cadillac. Inside the car, police found a purse belonging to Huss that contained hypodermic needles "with residue." Police also found what they believe to be a small amount of methamphetamine in Bissett's backpack.
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“Information from residents near the site of the thefts was instrumental in police identifying these suspects,” West Des Moines police Sgt. Dan Wade said in a news release. “Our detectives and patrol officers used this information to locate Bissett and Huss.
“Right now, we believe their activity was isolated to the west side of the metro. Detectives are sorting through items they recovered yesterday so if you have been the victim of this type of theft, please report it to your law enforcement agency.”
The stolen items were valued between $200 and $500.
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Bissett is due in court Dec. 24 and his bond was set at $1,000. A court-appointed attorney has yet to be assigned. Huss will also appear in court on Christmas Eve. Her bond is $1,000 and her attorney is listed as Jeremy Evans.
Three cases of stolen packages have been reported to West Des Moines police since the beginning November, police said. In November and December 2017, West Des Moines police received 11 reports of package thefts.
Some tips to ensure packages are safe include selecting a specific delivery time when a recipient will be home or requesting a delivery location more secure than a doorstep.
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Tyler Davis can be reached at tjdavis@registermedia.com or on Twitter @TDavisDMR.