Tony HoChattanooga police are looking for a Grinch.
He's not green. And he isn't slinking through sleepy homes raiding refrigerators and stealing stockings.
But he is accused of pilfering packages off Chattanooga residents' porches, and police want to put a stop to it.
According to a police department news release, the alleged thief is a dark-haired, white male with glasses named Tony Ho. He reportedly drives a white minivan.
Ho is accused of taking packages from people's front porches that have been delivered by UPS, FedEx or USPS, according to police.
Package theft is not an uncommon crime - all major shippers, especially this time of year, urge consumers to use caution when having goods delivered to their homes. Between USPS, UPS and FedEx, around 1.5 billion packages will be delivered by the end of the holiday season, which runs from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day.
Consumer Reports warns shoppers to take the fight to "porch pirates" themselves and plan for deliveries to keep them out of the hands of thieves.
"Thieves can follow delivery trucks, watching for prime targets," said Consumer Reports officials in a news release. "These thieves commonly strike during working hours as many homes are empty at that time."
The consumer protection agency recommends having packages delivered to a location where somebody, like a family member or a friend, can receive them in person.
Consumer Reports also recommends choosing specific delivery times, when it's an option. Or, if there's no other choice, request the the delivery service hold the package at a local facility until it can be picked up at a later time.
Andy Milton, a sales consultant at Best Buy on Gunbarrel Road, also recommends homeowners consider purchasing a security system, which can prevent package theft or prove helpful in recovering stolen goods.
Connected home sales consultant, Andy Milton, talks about home security systems Thursday, December 10, 2015 at Best Buy on Gunbarrel Road.Milton said there are a variety of do-it-yourself security system options, from front porch cameras to Bluetooth doorbells, which alert homeowners when someone is at the door and allows them to answer as if they were home.
Milton said he hears package-theft stories regularly.
"I've noticed it pick up in just the last four or five months," he said.
Milton said customers often have a bad encounter before they buy a security system.
"It's never 'I want to get something just in case,'" he said. "It's 'I want to get something because this happened.'"
Professional security systems also are an option for homeowners.
Chattanooga police, meanwhile, ask anyone with information about Ho to contact them at 423-698-2525.
Ho "will be hearing from us in the very near future," police said in a release. "Better yet, he can contact us directly, as we are all about providing service and ease of access."
Contact staff writer Alex Green at agreen@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6480.