Gwinnett County police say two suspected porch pirates who blended in with real delivery workers are now facing charges after a string of thefts in unincorporated Duluth and Norcross. Investigators report the pair allegedly slipped through neighborhoods in blue courier-style vests, swooping in on freshly dropped packages while homeowners were none the wiser. Doorbell cameras, however, were not fooled.
According to FOX 5 Atlanta, the suspects have been identified as Lance Vance and Poalima Maheloma. The station reports complaints started rolling in in early March, and that detectives used homeowner video to connect the dots between open cases.
Neighbors told local reporters they kept seeing the same routine play out: someone in a blue vest trailing delivery vans, grabbing packages within seconds of drop-off and, in some cases, swapping out boxes in an apparent attempt to buy more time before anyone noticed. WSB-TV aired the doorbell-camera clips and reported that residents had been trading videos and warnings on neighborhood apps, which helped build the case.
What police say
FOX 5 Atlanta reports that Gwinnett investigators believe there could be more victims across the metro area and are asking anyone with doorbell or surveillance footage to reach out to detectives. Police caution that realistic delivery gear can make suspicious behavior look routine, so they urge residents to hang on to any clips showing unknown people approaching their porches.
How this fits a wider crackdown
The latest arrests are unfolding against the backdrop of a broader county push to dismantle organized porch-theft and fencing operations. In a 2025 bust, a Gwinnett County news release said investigators seized more than 5,000 electronic devices valued at over $6 million and $1.2 million in cash, a reminder that so-called petty package thefts can feed large, profitable networks. Gwinnett County said that investigation relied on video surveillance, stakeouts and multiple search warrants.
How to protect your packages
Officials and local outlets recommend some basic defenses: require signatures for expensive deliveries, send packages to lockers or workplaces when possible, and use visible door cameras that back up footage to the cloud. As outlined in coverage where cataloging serial numbers with carriers and flagging suspicious online listings proved crucial, meticulous record-keeping helped investigators return thousands of stolen devices in the earlier countywide bust.
Gwinnett detectives say the porch-piracy investigation tied to the Duluth and Norcross neighborhoods is still active, and they are continuing to chase leads from neighborhood video and community tips. For more information or to submit footage, residents can review the county’s detailed release at Gwinnett County.
