Two Gwinnett 'Porch Pirates' Arrested Wearing Amazon Vest

Suspects Lance Vance and Poalima Maheloma charged with package theft and possession of crime tools.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 1:07pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a crumpled Amazon delivery driver vest against a pitch-black background, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash, conceptually representing the exploitation of delivery services by package thieves.A discarded Amazon delivery vest serves as a stark reminder of the growing problem of 'porch piracy' and the need for increased package security.Duluth Today

Gwinnett County Police have arrested two suspects, Lance Vance and Poalima Maheloma, for a series of package thefts from porches in the Duluth and Norcross areas of Georgia. One of the suspects was wearing an Amazon delivery driver vest during the alleged crimes.

Why it matters

Porch piracy has become an increasingly common problem, with thieves targeting unattended packages left on doorsteps. This case highlights how criminals may exploit the trust placed in delivery services to carry out these thefts, raising concerns about package security and the potential for abuse of delivery uniforms.

The details

Police recovered multiple stolen packages and clothing used during the thefts when they searched a hotel room where the two suspects were staying. Some of the recovered packages belonged to people who had not filed police reports. Vance is charged with felony porch piracy and possession of tools for the commission of a crime, while Maheloma is charged with theft by receiving.

  • The thefts occurred between March 1 and March 26, 2026.
  • Police received multiple reports of package thefts in early March 2026.

The players

Lance Vance

One of the two suspects arrested for the package thefts in Duluth and Norcross, Georgia.

Poalima Maheloma

One of the two suspects arrested for the package thefts in Duluth and Norcross, Georgia.

Gwinnett County Police

The law enforcement agency that investigated and made the arrests in this case.

Duluth Police

The local police department that provided information to Gwinnett County Police that helped lead to the arrests.

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What’s next

Police are continuing their investigation and urge anyone with information or who had packages stolen in the affected areas to contact detectives, as this could lead to the recovery of additional stolen items.

The takeaway

This case highlights the growing problem of 'porch piracy' and the need for increased vigilance and security measures to protect packages delivered to homes. It also raises concerns about the potential for criminals to exploit the trust placed in delivery services to carry out these thefts.