A brazen thief was caught on camera, walking off with a package from a home’s front porch in Crown Heights last weekend.
On security footage sent to COLlive, stamped 8:15 pm on Motzei Shabbos, the man can be seen walking up to the home in Crown Heights, and calmly ringing the front door bell to see if anyone answers, and then sitting on the front porch.
After a few seconds he proceeds to swipe a package from the stoop and walk off.
COLlive reached out to Detective Vinny Martinos of the 71st Precinct in Crown Heights, about the troubling trend seen more and more often in the neighborhood.
“This is the number one crime we are dealing with now,” Martinos told COLlive. “We keep identifying and catching these guys and locking them up, but most criminals are opportunists. If they see a package and no one is around, they will strike,” he said.
“The problem is that people don’t always follow up to prosecute, since the companies pay back the customer, and they don’t lose out, so they don’t follow up with pressing charges. And the big companies don’t really care so much about it.
“We recommend that you contact the police and press charges if you are a victim of theft, because if you don’t, it’s like it never happened,” he said.
Video:
Victims, delivery companies and sellers nationwide need to make formal complaints. Most sellers will offer an option for signed delivery – you have to request it and perhaps pay more for secure delivery. If you are ordering on line and the delivery type is not specified, call and request it. If you are expecting a package, get the tracking number and request notification.
Best option: buy in a place that employs live people and bring it home yourself.
i had packages stolen, had video, called the police… they took report, – but never followed up, never asked for video – despite me offering it… a number of times.
– i would not be surprised if that report doesn’t exist anymore, so that they can claim that crime is down…
Few fake packages 📦 Around all CH with some kind of color exploding to the face of the thief and they will all go away … common now they open packages 📦 inside the buildings takes all in garbage bags and go away … it must be stopped by athorities bigger punishments to prevent this kind of crime and soon is a summer so add all kids bycicles /scooters why our community are the suppliers/donors of all thieves around here ?
of the popular on line shopping trend. This fella doesn’t seem like a young punk. Just took his good ole sweet time about it. Almost funny.