UPS worker charged with stealing package

RALEIGH, NC (WTVD) -- After all the talk during the holidays of packages being stolen from people's porches, Raleigh police have charged a man they say is a UPS worker with stealing a package from the delivery service's warehouse.

Shannon Hale of Raleigh is accused of felony larceny, obtaining property by false pretenses, and possession of stolen goods.

Apparently, a Craigslist ad was the root of the investigation.

Tiyon Simmons of Pitt County spoke with ABC11 by phone Tuesday and said just days before Christmas he responded to the post advertising an iPhone X for sale.

He said Hale met him at a popular North Raleigh shopping center.

Simmons said Hale wanted to hold the $800 he offered for the phone while Simmons was trying to check the phone out.

"He waited until I was trying to activate the phone. I probably put my head down maybe 20, 30 seconds. I look back up and he was gone," Simmons said.

Simmons added, "And then I get a message on the phone saying that this phone belongs to a 919 number, you know, a Raleigh number."

Simmons said he called the number and spoke with the owner of the new phone who had preregistered the number when it was purchased.

The couple told ABC11 that their regular UPS driver told them their iPhone was stolen from the UPS warehouse in Raleigh.

Simmons said he also called police, who had no trouble locating Hale because he used his real name and phone number in the Craigslist ad.

While the couple got their iPhone, Simmons is still out $800.

As a result, this is what he had to say about Hale:

"He's a thief and honestly just should be in jail."