Middle Village residents are outraged after a string of package thefts caught on camera in the residential neighborhood, all allegedly by the same individual.
Over the last few days, several Middle Village residents have been posting photos and videos that show a man stealing packages from porches. Some of the residents were able to capture the evidence through Ring doorbells.
Middle Village resident Rosemarie Mandala shared a video on Saturday, Aug. 20, that shows a package being stolen from her porch. Mandala was away at the time and received a notification from her Ring doorbell that someone was at her front door at 11:25 p.m.
In the video, the man can be seen attempting to take two packages from the porch, but when he realizes one is too heavy, he leaves it before making a getaway with the other package on his bike.
Mandala said that the man stole an Amazon package that was delivered earlier in the day. The package contained gifts for her sister’s birthday, which she had to reorder.
Mandala said she doesn’t usually leave packages out after they’ve been delivered but never received a notification that her order arrived.
“I generally do not leave packages out after they have been delivered, especially since package theft is rampant. My sisters usually put my packages inside for me when I’m not home,” she told QNS. “I believe the stolen package arrived after my sister had gone over to check on my cats and to feed them for the night.”
Mandala said she hadn’t reported the crime to the NYPD since she was told there wasn’t much that could be done. Nonetheless, she eventually decided to report the crime.
“This guy is targeting several neighborhoods, and there are several videos with this person’s face,” Mandala said. “I’m hoping if, and when he is caught, my video will add to any charges that will be brought against him.”
Mandala said that the theft would cause her to change her shopping habits in the future.
“I am considering using the Amazon drop-off points for small packages, but I still receive packages from other companies, such as Chewy and Ulta, so there will still be an opportunity for theft. Since I’m away a lot I don’t have time to shop, so I’m always ordering the things I need,” Mandala said.
Another Middle Village resident posted a video of the man and said that on Monday, Aug. 22, at approximately 1:30 p.m., the man walked up to her house and stole her son’s brand-new college laptop.
Nata Lia captured a video that shows the man walking past her house with a package under his arm.
An NYPD spokesperson told QNS that an investigation hasn’t been launched because complaints haven’t officially been filed but offered tips for residents that can reduce the likelihood of thieves stealing packages, such as “choosing a shipping option that requires a signature for delivery or utilizes deliveries to retailer provided lockers or carrier provided alternate drop points where you can go to pick up your item.”
