Police Search For Package Thief After 4 Incidents In 1 Day
TEWKSBURY (CBS) - Tewksbury Police are sounding the alarm about packages delivered on doorsteps during the busy holiday shopping season.
Police say packages were stolen from the doorsteps of four homes in the town just this week, and police released surveillance photos and videos of a woman they believe is responsible.
The pregnant woman is seen walking up to a front porch on North Street in broad daylight and walking away with packages. The family says they contained children's books and toys intended for their eight-month-old and some nieces and nephews.
Neighbors like Rosemary Indelicato say the road is so busy it might be difficult for anyone to notice a brazen thief. "You have to be careful on a busy street because cars driving by aren't paying attention to people they have to watch the road," she says.
Tewksbury Lt. Detective Ryan Columbus says there are steps residents can take to protect themselves including sending to packages to other locations where someone will be home, sending them to work locations or requiring a signature if they are dropped off.
Scott Hankins says his neighbor's home on Main Street was targeted as the thief made off with a newly delivered home security system. "They had a package arrive, it showed up on a tracker and when they got home it was gone," Hankins said. "Apparently the box was recovered elsewhere."
Police say the thief made quick work of some of the packages, emptying the contents and leaving the empty boxes on a street a block from one of the victims' homes. They say the demand for online shopping and an increase in this type of crime is going hand in hand.
