Caught on camera: Porch pirate strikes mid-delivery in Massapequa Park

The video shows a suspect trying to take a package from a home on Atlantic Avenue. The homeowners say the man got away, but not with the package.

Logan Crawford

Nov 24, 2024, 10:10 PM

Updated 35 days ago

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A doorbell camera recorded video of a thief stealing a package off a porch in Massapequa Park – all with homeowners and a UPS driver in plain sight.
The video shows a suspect trying to take a package from a home on Atlantic Avenue. The homeowners say the man got away, but not with the package.
"You really don't know what anyone is capable of,” says homeowner Erica Bernhard.
She says she didn't even order anything to the house but was seeing fraudulent activity on her Bloomingdale's account. She says whoever hacked her account ordered the package right to her address. Her parents were about to take the box when the thief struck.
Bernhard says the thief was running up the street with the package when a second UPS worker in the delivery truck jumped out and wrestled the box out the man's hands. The thief then took off in a car.
Bernard says it was a $700 vacuum he tried to steal. She says it's the fourth package delivered to her house that she didn't order.
"There was another vacuum that he did get. Designer jackets, hats and gloves,” says Bernhard.
She says there are thousands of dollars’ worth of purchases on her account.
Security expert Adam Schwam, CEO of Sandwire, says it's difficult to prevent getting hacked, but suggests using different passwords for different websites.
"This way, it makes it very challenging for them to be able to use your password, username and password which is generally your email address, on some other site," Schwam says.
Neighbors with whom News 12 spoke with say this is troubling, especially with the holidays coming.
"It makes me apprehensive to deliver anything to the house," says Patti McGibney.
Nassau police say they are investigating the incident. Bernhard says she was able to get all of her money back.