LAPD busts package thieves who stole Amazon delivery truck; suspect eats stolen fruitcake

CANOGA PARK, CA (FOX 11) - An alert citizen helped officers in LAPD's Topanga Division arrest several package thieves in Canoga Park Thursday evening.

LAPD tells FOX 11 three suspects stole an Amazon delivery truck and were in the process of transferring the packages to their van when they were spotted by a citizen near a gas station at Oso and Sherman Way.

The suspect called police, and undercover officers arrived on scene to confirm a crime was being committed.

Plain clothes officers then moved in to make the arrests, and all of the packages were recovered.

The boxes were full of random contents including a drone, dish soap, windshield wipers, and even a fruitcake that a suspect had taken a bite out of.

"Today was unique because we deal with so many porch pirates that take one box off every door in the neighborhood that type of thing, but today to be able to nab somebody who took an entire truck worth of merchandise," said Sgt. Stephen Bell of LAPD's Topanga Division. "One it's not often we're actually able to catch these guys, these porch pirates, and two, to be able to catch them with so much stolen property was really satisfying."

The suspects will be facing grand theft and vehicle theft charges.

LAPD is in the process of making contact with the owners of the stolen property to make sure they get their packages back.