Two arrested in Citrus Heights following holiday package bait operation

Two porch pirates are in custody following a Citrus Heights Police Department holiday package bait operation on Sunday, according to officers.

Officers say the first man was found stealing bait holiday packages left by the Citrus Heights Police Department early Sunday. He also was found with power tools that still had store tags on them, according to an Instagram post by the department.

The department said that the man was arrested after officers caught him stealing and that he was also recently released from prison.

Just before noon Sunday, a second man was caught stealing bait packages and arrested.

The second man was on parole for vehicle theft and also a felony no-bail warrant out for his arrest. Officers said he had an “extensive arrest history” for narcotics, theft, resisting arrest, evading police and possession of burglary tools, among other things.

“Once again, we are glad we caught them stealing from us and not one of our citizens,” officers said in the post.