INDIANAPOLIS— Porch Pirates are targeting homes in a southwest neighborhood and stealing packages right off the front porch.
The holiday season is the time of year that there is a bigger opportunity to steal packages from people's porches or doorstep, police say, but often times they are caught on camera.
“I was in total shock and really ticked off to say the least,” Indianapolis resident Sherri Phelps said.
Sherri Phelps can’t believe what her ring doorbell camera caught on Friday Afternoon.
“We had a package being delivered via amazon and at about 1:09 it was delivered by amazon,” Phelps told WRTV on Tuesday.
About two hours later Phelps got a notification that someone was picking up her packages and the person wasn’t anyone in her family. The package Phelps was expecting was a Christmas present for her niece.
“Sure enough I went on my ring – yep it was snatched,” Phelps said.
That same thief was caught on a home surveillance camera stealing packages from a different home in the area within the same hour on Friday.
The value of the packages stolen listed on the police report is around $350.
“Just surprised, in disbelief and saddened that somebody feels the need to do something like that,” Phelps said.
The Indiana Department of Homeland security says that 60 percent of Americans know someone who has had a package stolen during the holiday season.
“If you can, try and have the packaged delivered to your house at a certain time,” Sergeant Genae Cook with IMPD says.
IMPD also recommends delivering the package to your work if possible.
“I think it's only fair that they are shown that this is not okay. It affects more than just them," Phelps said. It effects the person that they took it from and possible the gift that it’s going to. It could be going to a child like ours is supposed to be and now this child doesn’t have a gift and that’s not okay.”
ADT has some tips to protect you this holiday season.
