SF. PAUL, Minnesota (FOX 9) – ‘Tis the season for gifts and package deliveries, which also means porch pirates will be lurking.

Just last week, police in Inver Grove Heights recovered hundreds of pieces of stolen mail after a woman stole them from nearby mailboxes. Authorities say 161 victims had their mail stolen.

The woman was arrested in connection with mail theft after officers noticed the huge amount of mail in her car during a traffic stop.

Police said this recent incident serves as a good reminder to take precautions to help prevent mail theft.

“This is the time of year when the increase in packages makes it a crime of opportunity,” said Sgt. Mike Ernster, public information officer for the St. Louis Police Department. Paul.

Ernster said it’s a widespread problem in the Twin Cities metro area.

“If they see an opportunity, they will take it. It doesn’t matter what part of town it is in,” Ernster said.

Local law enforcement agencies said the recent incident in Inver Grove Heights, where police recovered more than 500 pieces of stolen mail, serves as a good reminder that this can happen anywhere.

“We have to take care of each other,” Ernster said. “If you see someone walking through your neighborhood looking through mailboxes. If you see anything suspicious, call 911, notify the police.”

Police said this crime of opportunity happens quickly.

“We see people targeting UPS, FedEx, postal service vehicles as they deliver packages to homes. They come right behind these trucks and steal the package right off the step,” Ernster said.

Ernster said it’s best to plan ahead to prevent mail theft:

• Plan delivery times for when you’re at home

• Deliver it to a location where someone can receive it

• Ask for it to be delivered to a side or back door

• Set up a secure box for deliveries

• Sign up for a tracking or notification service, such as Informed Delivery via the postal service.

Also, keep this in mind if you’re sending a gift.

“Don’t send cash in the mail. You just try to find any other way to do it,” Ernster said. “Just think about how it should be delivered, think about it. It can save you a lot of hassle down the road.”

In the Inver Grove Heights incident, authorities charged Kanesha Anderson, 34, with two counts of mail theft.