Suspected Lakewood Ranch porch pirates arrested

Two people have been arrested and charged with stealing packages from the doorsteps of multiple homes in Lakewood Ranch, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies arrested Joseph Burden, 41, and Jessica McNew, 42, on Dec. 17 after detectives say they tracked them to a home in Bradenton and found evidence linking the pair to multiple thefts around Manatee County, according to a news release. 

The Sheriff’s Office says video from doorbell cameras at several locations captured images of the alleged porch pirates and their vehicle, giving detectives enough identifiable information to apprehend them later in the day while wearing the same clothes as in the video.

In one video, deputies say Burden and McNew were seen backing a white Toyota Solara into the driveway of a home, then walking up to the front door and grabbing packages before getting back in their car and driving away. 

The license tag of the vehicle was also captured on camera and later confirmed to be the same vehicle seen at several of the suspected crime scenes, the news release said.

Detectives obtained a search warrant for a residence and a detached shed in the 1600 block of 51st Ave E., Bradenton, where they found packages and various personal property, the news release said. 

A large assortment of envelopes with Christmas cards and other mail, which deputies allege to have likely been removed from mailboxes, were found in the trunk of their vehicle. Detectives also located an array of personal identification information.

Burden and McNew are both charged with multiple counts of grand theft from a residence, jail records show. The Sheriff’s Office says the investigation is continuing, with additional charges expected.