A warning about more thieves stealing packages. It’s a problem happening across the state. The most recent in Naugatuck and caught on camera. Police say someone posed as an Amazon worker and snatched a box from someone’s front porch.
In this Naugatuck neighborhood in the area of Aetna Street, it’s normal to see packages on porches. That’s no different for Jose Mendez.
“I’ve been here living for over three years, and I get plenty of packages,” he said.
That includes a phone delivered by FedEx. Home surveillance showing the package being dropped off Thursday afternoon. Mendez says he was coming home when he noticed a suspicious car.
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“Right away the guy came in a Honda Accord, parked right in front of the house with an Amazon jacket, grabbed the package and I said ‘Hey! That’s my package!’” he said.
Mendez says the theft happened in a matter of minutes and was in disbelief. The Amazon vest throwing him off, thinking another delivery was being made.
“Surprise. At the moment, I was like shocked. I was like what should I do now?” he said.
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Mendez says he followed the thief’s car all the way to Oxford before giving up, unable to get the plate number.
“He had the paper temporary plates so every time it was flapping so I couldn’t see exactly the numbers or anything,” he said.
Naugatuck Police say it can be dangerous following suspects. They encourage people to give them a call instead and now they’re left searching for the imposter in the video that’s left neighbors stunned.
“I can’t believe that. That takes a lot of nerve. Take a lot of guts,” Linda Duncan of Naugatuck said.
Nearby towns like Beacon Falls are also seeing more people snatching packages and North Haven police arrested a man last week, accused of trying to take someone’s package. Officers asking homeowners to take steps like designating a safe spot.
“Tell them to put it at the back door or something instead of in the front,” Duncan said.
Mendez says he was able to get a replacement phone just fine and encourages people to have home surveillance.
“Put cameras in their house. That’s all I can say you know?” he said.
Anyone who may recognize the person in the surveillance video should call Naugatuck Police.
