Crime And Law

Kettering porch pirate steals package within a minute of delivery

Gone in less than 60 seconds: A video shows a man run onto a Kettering porch and steal a package right after it was delivered.

Porch pirates are all too common, but what’s unusual about the theft this week in Kettering was how quickly it happened.

News Center 7's Sean Cudahy spoke to neighbors to get their reaction, and the solution some are exploring to try to stop these kinds of crimes.

Police are asking for the public’s help to identify a porch pirate who stole a package off a porch Tuesday afternoon in Kettering less than a minute after it was delivered.

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“It just baffles me that people do it,” neighbor Todd Sanderson said. “I just can’t believe people are dumb enough to be taking things off people’s porches. You would think that in today’s society and day and age that everybody would know you’re on camera, so I don’t understand.”

But it did happen, in broad daylight, no less, around 1 p.m. Tuesday in the 3800 block of Benfield Drive in Kettering.

The video captured by a home surveillance system shows the package, then the thief — wearing a red shirt, black pants and ball cap — grabs it and takes off.

The family who lives there did not want to talk on camera, but said what the thief stole was rather valuable. They said someone up the street got hit that same day, too.

“This is the first I’ve heard of it being so close to my house,” another neighbor, Josh Morter said of the porch pirate. “It’s definitely concerning. We get Amazon packages all the time.”

With a rise in thefts like this, law enforcement said one way to try to stop thieves is to have lock boxes on your porch.

For his part, Morter said he hopes more awareness of these growing crimes will help, too.

“I do like that the news is putting a spotlight on it because hopefully it’ll … inspire some of the criminals to stop what they’re doing.”

Anyone who can identify the thief is urged to call the Kettering Police Department at 937-296-2555 and to ask for detective Gary Schomburg or send a private message through Facebook.

Here's the full video of this porch pirate thief. The subject in the video stole a packaged off the front porch at 3812 Benfield one minute after the package was delivered. Video isn't great but if you can ID this thief please call dispatch 937-296-2555. Ask of Off. Schomburg. Thanks!

Posted by Kettering Police Department on Tuesday, October 1, 2019
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