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[Meri Thilmony]

You'd think the high likelihood of getting caught on camera would deter porch pirates from snagging packages that don't belong to them. There is another option, however, according to one thief out of California: wearing a disguise.

The package thief was caught on camera in Sacramento late last month, attempting to nab a package from the home of Omar Gabriel Munoz. Instead of simply walking up to the porch, the thief appears to go full Ace Ventura, disguising themselves as a simple black garbage bag.

Footage captured by Munoz's door camera shows the thief crouched low to the ground with their body hidden inside the garbage bag. With nothing but feet sticking out of the bottom, the perp slowly makes their way up the property's front sidewalk, shuffling along in an apparent attempt to look like, well, a pile of garbage.

Making their way to the front porch, the thief-turned-sentient-garbage-bag hovers over the small package, snatches it up and pulls it inside of the bag. Still crouched with sneakers sticking out of the bottom, the perp shuffles back down the sidewalk, camera following them all the way.

"At first I was kinda angry but when I saw the video again I was laughing because people (these) days have a lot of creativity," Munoz told KXTV-TV. He told the outlet that he did not report the theft, as he figured local police "have more important things to do."

A homeowner turns to social media to find a suspected thief who ran past a delivery driver to steal a package, just seconds after it was dropped off on his northwest Columbus front porch. June 3, 2024 (WSYX)

"He was going through the bags and things," said Jack Kennedy. "I yelled at him, what do you think you're doing? Said some stuff. But he kept doing it and he said, try to take it from me. I kind of hustled a bit after him. And he picked up his pace and I kind of chased him."

"It's extremely frustrating to the point where my boyfriend and I both go into the office pretty frequently," said Brooklynn Teague. "And if we know we have things coming, we'll stay home because we can't trust it and we kind of stalk the door."

The alleged thief was also seen on camera tearing open a meal delivery package on Moseley's doorstep but leaving without taking anything. He's since shared the video on Facebook to make his neighbors aware.

Police have apprehended a suspected package thief thanks to the ingenious efforts of a tech-savvy teen who tricked the would-be raider into allegedly stealing a package which, unbeknownst to him, contained a GPS tracking device.

Indeed, package thefts are an alarming common issue in the U.S., with a recent survey by Safewise revealing an estimated 210 million packages have vanished from porches across the country over the past 12 months.

Jack Beresford is a Newsweek Senior Internet Culture & Trends Reporter, based in London, UK. His focus is reporting on trending topics on the Internet, he covers viral stories from around the world on social media. Jack joined Newsweek in 2021 and previously worked at The Irish Post, Loaded, Den of Geek and FourFourTwo. He is a graduate of Manchester University. Languages: English.

Victor then tried to stash the box in his backpack, not expecting the homeowner to emerge from inside the house in the nick of time. Carlos was captured ambushing the thief and confronting him in the unexpected encounter.

Following his arrest, Victor faced charges of petit larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, and criminal trespassing. His arrest was further dramatized after the accused thief claimed he needed an ambulance because his hand needed medical attention.

The incident not only underscored the growing issue of parcel theft but also showcased the lengths individuals will go to protect their property and the items bought online with their hard-earned money.

The incident ended without anyone getting hurt; however, it could have taken an ugly turn if the suspect had been armed or turned aggressive in the tussle with Carlos. Authorities always advise against civilians taking such risks and engaging with suspected criminals.

In South Africa packages will never just be left out. If a delivery comes they will ring the bell or call you, and if you're not home they'll come back when you are. Nobody has used the post office for many years (due to theft) and the post office in RSA has now closed down! Can't say I'm surprised.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A package thief who was caught on video stealing red tights, has caught the attention of national media outlets because he look likes George Clooney.

Geoffrey Hall was caught on camera stealing a package moments after it was delivered on Sunday in the 800 block of Elizabeth Drive, the Tallahassee Police Department said in a Facebook post where you can see the video of Hall taking the package.

It's a scene caught on camera that might be funny to some, but not so much for anyone who has had a package stolen before. A security camera at a California home caught someone slyly shuffling up to a porch to steal a package, all while concealed under a large black trash bag.

In the video captured on a consumer home security camera, Omar Gabriel Munoz was able to capture the individual seemingly crouched down with their feet and white slippers exposed as they inched towards the parcel with the rubbish can liner covering nearly all of their head and body.

Munoz told Storyful that though he received a notification that the package was delivered, he wasn't able to find it later after coming home from work. The box reportedly contained multiple cellphone chargers. At first he said he thought the wind blew the package away, but when he checked the camera he saw the culprit moving towards his door to take it.

A notorious Crown Heights package thief who has been terrorizing Crown Heights for months, snatching packages from porches and combing building hallways, has been caught red handed by Crown Heights Shomrim and arrested.

Crown Heights Shomrim is asking that anyone who was a victim of this thief please contact the 71st precinct and ensure that you have made a police report. Building a case on the thief is vital so that he will not be simply placed back on the streets of the community.

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Well, there are a number of potential explanations. For one, it's relatively easy. Many of these crimes are just crimes of opportunity, meaning that a person takes advantage of a possibility that is presented to them.

They also might do so because there is a chance the package contains valuable merchandise. Porch pirates likely hope that small packages contain expensive items that can be resold, such as phones, video game systems, sound systems, or computers.

Unfortunately, there was a steep rise in the number of porch pirate incidents in 2020 during the pandemic. This is partially due to the fact that there was a major increase in online shopping as people were avoiding going to public places when possible.

While you might have seen someone set up a "package thief trap" in a viral video that involves an explosion of glitter when the thief opens the box, this might not be the most practical avenue for the average homeowner.

The best way to deal with package thieves is through preventative and security measures. If a package is stolen from your property, your best bet is to have already installed a video surveillance system so that the suspect can be identified and tracked down.

If someone steals your package, the worst-case scenario is that the valuable items you ordered are gone forever and cannot be replaced or refunded. While many major online retailers have systems in place for dealing with stolen or missing packages, you'll still end up having to spend time dealing with the process and waiting for a replacement or a refund.

There are products you can purchase that are referred to as "porch pirate bags." These bags are fairly large and made out of durable material. You can instruct delivery people to place the package in the bag and lock it to something fixed on your porch with the combination lock that is attached.

There are services you can sign up for with major delivery companies that offer lockers you can rent. You typically pay a monthly fee in order to have access to a locker where you can have your packages delivered.

You can often check off "signature required" when you are checking out during online shopping. This can work well if you are often home in order to sign for your packages. If you aren't, though, it can cause a goose-chase where you keep missing the delivery person and your package.

You can talk with your delivery driver and tell them the best spot to leave a package. Some delivery drivers go out of their way to put packages in places where they aren't in plain view of the sidewalk or road. However, it can be good to establish a delivery spot that is obscured from view by other objects or landscaping.

You also might be able to add delivery instructions when you are placing an order. When you are checking out and filling in your shipping information, look to see if there is a place to leave "delivery instructions." This way, you can ask that the package be left by a side door or in a spot that is not visible from the road.

While not all USPS locations can receive deliveries from all the different mail services, you can have your package delivery sent USPS held at the post office for you. That way, they are protected until you are able to retrieve them and bring them home yourself.

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