New York Authorities Take Down Porch Pirate Gang
Prosecutors in New York have revealed the dismantling of a complex group of porch pirates. Investigators claim these suspects accessed tracking information, allowing them to target valuable packages right after delivery.
“It seemed these co-conspirators were lying in wait for packages,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney during a press conference this week.
As the holiday season approaches, he advised shoppers to be proactive about their deliveries and retrieve packages promptly upon arrival.
Many homeowners install security cameras for protection against intruders.
The investigation spanned from October 2023 until February 2025, culminating in a full indictment announced recently.
In one highlighted case, surveillance footage captured thieves ambushing a FedEx driver on a busy street, grabbing a package containing 15 Samsung tablets, and jumping into a getaway vehicle without letting the driver unload. In a separate incident, a homeowner just dropping off a package had their home broken into, according to Tierney.
Some incidents featured thieves on home cameras snatching packages mere minutes after delivery. The DA’s office noted a significant rise in porch thefts, linking the spike to this gang. The group allegedly used fake identities to have packages shipped to various addresses for easy theft.
FedEx has confirmed that the shipping industry is collaboratively working with law enforcement to combat these sophisticated theft methods.
Most suspects hail from New York City, with one from Yonkers and another from Valley Stream. They’ve been accused of targeting both working-class and affluent neighborhoods across Suffolk County, which spans the eastern part of Long Island.
These thieves allegedly tapped into data on Verizon and AT&T devices to track FedEx deliveries, although the exact methods of information access remain under investigation.
The alleged leader, 29-year-old Andrickson Herres of the Bronx, faces a staggering total of 50 felony charges alongside 13 co-defendants.
The ring is said to have strategically targeted packages filled with high-value items like smartphones and electronic devices.
A spokesperson for Tierney’s office noted that most victims were lawfully ordering their phones. “The defendants got tracking information for legitimate orders, allowing them to intercept packages almost immediately after they were delivered. Yet, we also discovered that at least one runner utilized a stolen ID to place orders,” the spokesperson added.
The operation involved six “runners” identified as Wandi Almanzar Lilanzo, Jackson Suazo, Alvaro Alvarez Fermín, Leonel Tejeda Reynoso, Felipe Batista, and Luger Guerrero.
Four individuals were classified as “inspectors,” responsible for transporting stolen goods: Luis Marte Tavares, Eugenio Valencia, Raimondo Cabrera de Leon, and Juan Baez.
The group allegedly moved stolen merchandise from concealed locations to three co-conspirators operating electronics stores in Manhattan, including Fawaz Hameed, Anzar Ali, and Eddy Zaibak.
Prosecutors revealed that stolen goods were transported to a stash in the Bronx, with some items sold at a storefront just blocks from Herald Square. Jerez is accused of selling larger amounts to wholesalers both domestically and internationally.
During a search at a Bronx location, police reportedly seized around 200 new cell phones along with other items valued over $100,000. Photos from the scene displayed countless brand-new phones still packaged.
Herres also faces similar charges in New Jersey, with the ring purportedly operating along the East Coast. He has been released on a $75,000 bail.
Jerez, Marte Tavares, and Cabrera de Leon are facing federal charges as well, while Reynoso remains in custody with a $50,000 bail set. Fermin was arrested last year in New Jersey, later placed in ICE custody, and voluntarily departed in July.
Some suspects have been released under supervision and had to surrender their passports. A few were released without bail since the charges were not applicable under New York state law.
Experts offer several tips for safeguarding your holiday deliveries, including installing home security cameras, timing deliveries for when you’ll be home, maintaining communication with neighbors, or having packages sent to your workplace.
A recent theft report indicates that one in four Americans fall victim to porch piracy, with over $8 billion worth of goods pilfered nationwide in the past year.
