STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A Staten Island homeowner is warning neighbors to secure their snow shovels after surveillance video captured a theft in the aftermath of Sunday’s snowstorm.
The incident occurred Monday afternoon just before 4 p.m. on Watchogue Road in Westerleigh.
In the short video clip, a man wearing a blue sweatsuit and knit cap is clearly seen strolling up the driveway before heading up the stoop. He quickly snatches two shovels and jogs away.
Ralph Alunan, 34, who was born and raised in the borough, said the incident left him “disappointed.”
“I grew up in close-knit communities where people just helped each other out,” he said. “No one took anything. If they needed something, you just asked.”
Alunan said he has never witnessed this type of conduct carried out after a snowstorm in all his time on Staten Island. He did not file a police report, saying he didn’t believe it was worth law enforcement’s time and resources.
Instead, he’s sharing the video to alert the community, emphasizing that some residents may only have one shovel and urged neighbors to take precautions to prevent similar thefts.
“I want people to be aware of what’s going on with shovels. If they’re not nearby to watch them, they should leave them in a locked place,” Alunan said. “I know I let my guard down because I never thought that would happen — you never know anymore.”