Covina police search for 'porch pirate' thief caught on camera
COVINA, Calif. (FOX 11) - "Porch pirates." Package thieves. They're like a plague, spreading from community to community. Invading people's property - to steal their property.
"It's a quality-of-life issue", says Sgt Gregg Peterson with the Covina Police Department. "And it affects us all."
The latest victim, 20-year-old Natalie Seman of Covina. A full-time college student Natalie also works full-time at a fast food restaurant. She had been saving her money to buy one of her favorite YouTube "vloggers" new sunglass line, Desi Perkins Quay Collaboration and was anxiously awaiting her order.
Security cameras were rolling at her home when the package was delivered on July 12th. And they clearly show the box on her doorstep where UPS left it. "I was so excited for it to come", the bubbly teen said. "I had saved up to buy them."
Natalie didn't know this then but lurking in the shadows there was someone else waiting for her package...the porch pirate.
"The fact they feel entitled to take other people's property", says Sgt. Peterson. "It's incredible."
On the video the suspect, a young woman, is seen walking up to Natalie's door and taking the package, just like that. "I feel so violated", says Natalie. "I cried when I saw her steal my package."
She wasn't alone. Police say she had an accomplice, the getaway driver of a two door white car with tinted windows, also caught on camera circling the block several times.
"It's obvious they're not amateurs at this. You can tell it was orchestrated", says Peterson.
Inside the package she carried away, were three pairs of designer Quay sunglasses from Australia, valued at over $200.
Legally, it's considered a "petty theft or crime" but morally it's as wrong as any other crime is and Covina Police detectives are hard at work trying to track this thief down.
"We like to solve every crime", says Sergeant Peterson. "Because when you solve the small crimes it usually leads to a reduction in the big crimes."
If you know who the woman on the video is, or have any information about this crime, please call the Covina Police Department at 626-384-5628. You can remain anonymous.
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