Thief caught on doorbell camera stealing package from front door

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) - Online shopping is ramping up with the holiday’s approaching.

That means more packages being left on the front step.

One Milwaukee man recently had a package stolen, and it was all caught on video.

Marvin Jenkins invested in a door bell camera for just this very reason.

He caught a thief make off with his Amazon delivery, now he wants to warn online shoppers are we get closer to Christmas.

“By all appearances it seems like he just happened to be in the neighborhood and he saw the box,” said Jenkins.

Jenkins wasn’t home Saturday morning when the package was dropped off.  Not long after, sensor on his doorbell camera was tripped and caught the thief in the act.

It looks like the man even saw the camera, and didn’t care.

“He was very casual, very bold but he wasn’t deterred,” said Jenkins, “Came up to the door, pretended he was pressing the button when in reality he wasn’t, he was simply trying to cover the lens with this hand.”

What was in the box was only worth $13, but that doesn’t matter to Jenkins.

“It’s very frustrating, like everyone else I work hard for what I get and it’s not fair for anyone to just come and take it,” said Jenkins.

He’s sharing his story because he knows the holidays are coming.

“There’s going to be individuals getting a lot high value boxes than what I had taken, and I just wanted them to be aware,” he said.

Jenkins reported the theft to police, and thinks everyone should do the same.  “If this happens to you, regardless of the value amount, the dollar amount, report it, you’re helping your neighborhood and you’re also helping police,” said Jenkins.

So how can you protect yourself?

Some delivery companies allow you to decide when the deliver will happen, so you can be home.

Some also have places to hold your packages at nearby locations like lockers or businesses.