A West Philadelphia woman says she was targeted twice in two days by the same porch pirate.
“The guy just walked right up, had a bag, put my box in his bag, and was off,” said Christine Hibbard, about the theft that happened on Halloween. Surveillance footage shows a man taking a box of sneakers from her porch and walking away.
Hibbard said the same man returned the next day.
“Same bag, same black hoodie, same bald head. He grabbed it and left,” she said.
She believes the problem has worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic. Her neighbor has even posted a sign warning delivery drivers about thefts.
As the holiday season approaches, package thefts are expected to increase. Some residents are taking matters into their own hands.
“My packages were getting stolen. I was even working from home and within seconds, my packages were getting stolen. Obviously, it’s been a difficult problem in Philadelphia,” said Debbie Anday, who started a business called the Stash Spot in Fishtown.
The store allows customers to have packages delivered there for safekeeping. Anday said the holiday season is her busiest time of year.
“Right now we’re starting to get ready, we installed a few more shelves, just getting ready for the rush,” she said.
Hibbard is now considering using a secure delivery service, especially after being targeted twice.
“He’s casing it, casing the neighborhood, I guess,” she said