Surveillance Cameras Serve More Than One Purpose In Package Thefts
Dec 8, 2020, 10:37 PM | Updated: 11:04 pm
MILLCREEK, Utah – If package thieves manage to steal Christmas, surveillance cameras may come in handy for more than just identifying the suspect or suspects.
Doreen Armstrong said Tuesday that having footage of a delivery man failing to ring a doorbell or knock actually made a difference with one retailer in securing a refund.
“It wouldn’t hurt to have a cheap video camera,” Armstrong said. “That’s all I’ve got and it caught ‘em. I just think that’s a really good idea.”
Armstrong said on Dec. 1, she had seven boxes left at her front door between two separate deliveries.
Among the contents were gifts for her children, grandchildren and 98-year-old mother, as well as a $1,000 jacket purchased by her housemate.
After her surveillance camera captured neither delivery person knocking, it also caught two men pulling up in a dark blue Chevy Malibu — likely from model years 2016 to 2021 — and grabbing the packages and leaving.
One man appeared in the video to be more slender with a black hoodie, blue jeans and red and white sneakers. The other had a heavier build and appeared to be wearing a white t-shirt or jersey with a dark jacket, jeans and white sneakers.
“I’m like, ‘Who are these guys?’” Armstrong said. “I kept thinking, ‘Who do they think they are, and why do they feel entitled to take my stuff that I worked hard to pay for?’”
Armstrong also recommended homeowners who are expecting deliveries communicate with delivery people to stash packages out of the way and to knock or ring a doorbell to alert anyone inside that the packages have arrived.
“You could at least put a sign on the door — please ring the doorbell if there’s a package delivery,” she said. “I think that would be a real easy thing. They see it.”
Armstrong said she was angered by what took place, but is relieved that she and her housemate were refunded for all the deliveries that were stolen.
“I am hoping somebody will recognize the bozos that did this,” Armstrong said. “It’s not OK.”
Armstrong said anybody with information about the suspects or vehicle connected to her theft case should contact Unified Police Department at 801-743-7000.
