Brazen package thief caught on camera in Durham
DURHAM (WTVD) -- It was a casual yet bold move caught on camera. A man wearing dark clothing bends down at a front door, then walks away with a bag merchandise.
The camera that caught the brazen theft is connected to a security setup called Ring.
"I'm only really out of the house a couple times a week, so I'm typically here all day long and I don't see anybody all the time," said theft victim Kristin Wainwright. "Now it's funny, every time I look out the window I wonder is that him? Is that him? And I've never seen him before."
She hopes someone viewing the footage will see something that leads to an arrest.
"He could be in your neighborhood next," she said. "Stealing your packages and your mail, and endangering your identity, making you feel uncomfortable in your own home."
While watching the footage, Wainwright heard one of her neighbors asking the man some questions off-camera. But, she understands the reluctance of some people to follow her lead and contact police with what they've seen or heard.
"I mean, what kind of risk do you want to take? You don't what they have, if they can hurt you," Wainwright said.
Wainwright placed a sign on her front door alerting people who approach about the theft of her package. The sign also asks for no more deliveries. She's exploring package delivery options now, and hoping that sharing the video on air as well as social media will lead to an arrest.
Wainwright told ABC11 she's checked on potential penalties for mail tampering and theft.
"If he's caught, I think it's a $145,000 fine and up to three years in prison," said Wainwright. "For stealing a couple of little packages that aren't worth anywhere near that in value, and not worth anywhere near that in risk, to take."
