Three men charged with stealing packages in Southie

T’was 10 days before Christmas, and all through the Hub, a whole city was stirring, including three alleged package-stealing mugs.

Boston Police rolled into East 4th and N Streets in Southie Monday after a caller reported three men were snagging packages from people’s’ porches, ripping them open, and loading the goods in shopping bags.

Police combed the area and spotted one man who matched a description near East 2nd and Emmett Streets. Police said that the man was carrying a shopping bag filled with merchandise, some of which had the shipping address of the victims on East 4th Street.

Officers brought the suspect in, and got word that the other two suspects had been detained as well.

Robert MacNeil, 47, Johnny Sadm, 19, both from Dorchester, Cody Urban, 19, of South Boston were arrested and charged with larceny.

Metro reported that as of Dec. 1, 343 packages had been reported stolenin 2014.That number has not been updated by Boston Police.

“Between last-minute online shoppers and long-distance gift givers, it’s no secret that December is a peak time for package deliveries, but the increase in activity also makes it a busy time for package thieves,” BPDNews wrote on its news blog.