A 28-year-old man has been arrested after authorities said he stole a “bait” package that contained a tracking device used in the Tempe Police Department’s Operation Secret Santa.
Roman Lopez was arrested Dec. 15 for possession of stolen property, police said.
Operation Secret Santa, which began Nov. 18, is designed to reduce package thefts during the holidays.
One of the enforcement strategies is using “bait” packages containing tracking devices.
On Dec. 4, one of the packages was stolen, and police “tracked the package in the hands of Roman Lopez who was found near Baseline Road and Hardy Drive,” police stated in a release.
Operation Secret Santa, which also includes community outreach and education, will continue through the end of December, police said.