The alarm went off at 6:40 p.m. Sunday near SW Tualatin Highway and SW 170th Avenue in Aloha.

Washington County sheriff’s deputies were ready. In fact, they had been expecting the alarm to go off at any time. They’d left a “bait package” on the porch of the residence.

'Tis the season, after all, for packages leaning against front doors everywhere. Which means it’s prime time for petty criminals who like to snatch up would-be presents and bolt. Sometimes the thieves even follow along behind delivery trucks.

Yet the dreaded “porch pirate” isn’t always who you expect it to be.

On Sunday, deputies used GPS to follow their bait -- and they soon found it in a black Nissan Altima, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office reports.

The alleged thief -- an Amazon delivery driver.

Perez Johnson booking photo

Along with the bait package, the car had 18 Amazon boxes in it awaiting delivery.

Deputies arrested 29-year-old Portlander Perez Johnson for theft in the second degree. The sheriff’s office says Johnson admitted he took the bait package after leaving a legitimate delivery at the address. This is the fourth year that the sheriff’s office has been using GPS-embedded bait packages to catch and deter thieves.

With their trap successfully sprung, the Washington County deputies were apparently infused with the holiday spirit. The sheriff’s office says they “personally delivered the remaining packages that had been found inside the suspect’s vehicle to their addresses to avoid any delay in receipt.”

-- Douglas Perry