CONTRIBUTED
A photo taken from a surveillance video showing a person stealing a package from the porch of a Shelton home.
Shelton police say they’ve identified a woman caught on video swiping a parcel from a resident’s front porch in broad daylight.
The alleged crime occurred Thursday (July 6) afternoon, according to the victim, who reached out to the Valley Indy via Facebook and asked not to be identified.
The victim was at work when the package was pilfered about two hours after being delivered to the home’s front porch.
The person shared surveillance photos from the home to social media — after reporting the crime to police.
A police spokesman said in an email that the theft suspect has been identified.
“We did take that larceny complaint and the woman who stole the package was identified,” Detective Richard Bango said in an email Monday (July 10). “An arrest warrant is being prepared and an arrest will be made at a later date.”
The victim said a police officer returned the stolen package Sunday (July 9).
The incident marks the second time in recent months an alleged package thief has been identified thanks to the efforts of alert Shelton residents.
In December, police said a Waterbury woman was caught after allegedly stealing Christmas gifts delivered to homes in Aspetuck Village.
The holiday season is the traditional peak time for porch thefts.
For example, in 2014, two New Haven men were nabbed after a resident saw them allegedly steal a package from a home on Meadow Lake Drive.
Police have asked residents that if they are having packages delivered they should, if possible:
- Request delivery to the store itself and pick up the item there.
- Have the package delivered to their work address or to the courier’s pickup station rather than their home.
- Schedule delivery for a day that they know they will be home or a relative or friend will be home.
- Require a signature upon receipt for deliveries.
An advisory from the Travelers insurance company notes that, in addition to stealing the items being delivered themselves, “porch pirates” could also use consumers’ personal information to steal their identities.
Experts say the increased popularity of online shopping has led to package thefts becoming more frequent.
A 2015 report from insurancequotes.com, for example, said that 23 million Americans had been victims of package theft.
