ELK GROVE, Calif. — An Elk Grove family was the victim of an unlikely porch pirate, caught in action on their home surveillance system.
On Tuesday evening, as the sun barely set in Elk Grove, Sarah Ross said in an interview with ABC10 that she got a text from her son's girlfriend asking if she could check to see if a package she ordered was outside after the delivery message came in.
"And so when we went and checked, it wasn't there," Ross said.
Upon reviewing the home's security cameras, Ross discovered that the large UPS package was there until someone who looked like an Amazon driver dropped off another package that the family was expecting and took the large package that UPS had dropped off.
Now, the Elk Grove Police Department has said that the Amazon driver and alleged package thief has been caught and identified.
Amazon helped police to identify Mohamed Hussein, 26, as the delivery driver suspected of moonlighting as a porch pirate, Elk Grove PD said. Hussein turned himself in to police.
"Camera surveillance is a great tool not only for peace of mind but for acting like an extra set of eyes," a spokesperson for Elk Grove PD said in a Facebook post. "This time the camera caught a real-life Grinch!"
The package had been a $200 gaming chair that was supposed to be a Christmas gift for Ross's son from his girlfriend.
"Amazon should be bringing Christmas gifts, not stealing them," Ross said. "I mean, it's like Amazon stole Christmas."
Moving forward, police said there are other ways to prevent something like this from happening to you.
"If you can, require a signature for delivery - that way you know that that package is in the right hands of who it should be going to. Have your packages held at a local post office for pickup, if that's something that's available to you," said Hannah Gray, spokesperson for Elk Grove PD.
Police said you can also have your packages delivered to a relative or a neighbor that will be home during the delivery time. You can also send it to your office, turn on delivery notifications, and use lockers provided by some delivery services.
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