Birmingham porch pirate sentenced to 1 year in jail following no contest plea

OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – A Detroit man accused of stealing multiple packages in Birmingham learned his sentence on Monday.

Robert William Foster was charged with 17 counts of mail theft. He allegedly stole packages from residents’ front porches in Birmingham in December 2025 after they were delivered.

During the investigation, police learned the thefts were committed by the same person. After using photos and videos provided by the community, detectives identified the porch pirate as Foster. He was then taken into custody.

On March 23, Foster pleaded no contest to three counts of mail theft, which are misdemeanors. All other charges were dismissed as part of a plea deal, according to court documents.

Foster was sentenced to 365 days in jail on April 20, 2026.