Quincy police search for porch pirate recorded on surveillance

QUINCY, Mass. — It happened in broad daylight, at the height of the recent heat wave in this quiet Quincy neighborhood.

A homeowner’s Blink Camera recorded the moment a porch pirate helped himself to delivery packages right off the doorstep.

“It’s not just a problem in Quincy, Bob. It’s a problem nationwide,” Quincy Police Chief Mark Kennedy told me.

He tells me it’s a problem he sees all too often in the city.

“They are professional criminals out there just preying on people. A lot of these are crimes of opportunity when you drive by and see something,” Chief Kennedy said.

The Blink Camera reveals that’s what happened here.

At about a quarter to three, the video shows the thief slowly pulling his car over, parking out of range of the camera.

In just a few moments, he confidently walks up to the house, grabs the package, and then he is off.

The homeowner did not want to speak to us on camera but told us off camera that there were people inside the house at the time, and no one heard a thing.

Chief Kennedy tells me single-family homes and apartment buildings are vulnerable to package theft.

“We’re seeing about 40 percent of the time we are seeing people who live in the building who are stealing from their neighbors,” Chief Kennedy said.

To protect yourself, the chief says to consider installing security cameras, require a signature for delivery, or use a secure box if you are not going to be home.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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