Video shows suspects lifting patio furniture in seconds during the early-morning theft.
DALLAS — Doorbell video from a Lake Highlands home shows two people walking onto a front patio in the middle of the night, lifting an entire outdoor couch and taking off within seconds.
The theft happened around 2:30 a.m. Monday along Brentgate Drive. The homeowner reported the incident to the Dallas Police Department
Carlos Tapia, who lives across the street from the home and serves as vice president of the neighborhood patrol unit, said the suspects showed no hesitation.
“In less than 20 seconds they grab a couch,” Tapia said. “They were fast.”
Tapia said neighbors believe this was not an isolated incident. Home surveillance video from another nearby home appears to show the same person stealing packages from a different porch, with a van standing by.
“It is very frustrating to see the porch pirates doing what they are doing,” Tapia said. “It is sad that people see the opportunity for a fast buck.”
Similar thefts have been caught on camera across North Texas. Earlier this month in Fort Worth, doorbell video captured a porch pirate stealing an Amazon package before the delivery driver even left the home.
As Christmas approaches, home security experts say thieves often become bolder.
“I think they feel entitled, and with the lack of oversight and leniency from law enforcement, they just feel empowered to take what they wish,” said Matt Sailor, CEO of home security company IC Realtime.
According to SafeWise, a home security website, Texas ranks No. 3 in the nation for front-door package theft, with more than $1 billion in lost goods.
Sailor recommends what he calls active deterrent technology, including cameras that trigger strobing lights and audible alerts when someone approaches. Video from his office shows a suspect running away seconds after a voice command activated, alerting the person that they were being recorded.
Back in Lake Highlands, neighbors say the loss goes beyond stolen furniture.
Along with the couch, thieves also took a handmade blanket: a family heirloom sewn by the homeowner’s mom using her old college T-shirts.
“A couch can be replaced, but not the blanket,” Tapia said.
The family is now asking for just one thing: for the blanket to be returned.