Vehicle Theft Suspects Now Accused Of Being 'Porch Pirates': Cops

REDONDO BEACH, CA – After a months-long investigation, a man and woman arrested in connection with a theft from a vehicle now stand accused of being "porch pirates" who stole packages from multiple victims in southeast Torrance, police said Monday. The pair – Brendon Sanroman, 27, of Harbor City and Suzette Cortez, 22, of Lomita – were initially linked to the vehicle theft that occurred last December, according to Torrance police Sgt. Ronald Harris.

"The suspects removed the victim's credit card from the vehicle then made a fraudulent purchase," Harris alleged.

After viewing surveillance images from several package thefts, detectives several months later determined the suspects were the same pair that allegedly used the stolen credit card to buy merchandise. They subsequently reviewed hours of additional surveillance footage of porch package thefts, which allegedly link the pair to those crimes, he said.

Sanroman was arrested on April 11 and Cortez last Wednesday, Harris said. Sanroman was released from custody the day of his arrest after posting $110,000 bail, according to sheriff's inmate records, but Cortez remains jailed in lieu of $70,000 bail.

City News Service and Patch staffer Emily Holland contributed to this post; Image via Shutterstock / Przemyslaw Koch