“It was almost immediate”: Cambridge resident stunned by bold package theft

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — A Cambridge resident is warning others to be extra wary of package thieves after his Black Friday delivery was snatched less than an hour after arriving on his front doorstep.

It happened on Chauncy Lane in the morning hours on Friday.

The theft comes days after police in Cambridge issued an alert about an increase in package thefts as the holiday shopping season hits full swing.

Steven Neckorcuk and his wife said they thought they were being vigilant to prevent package theft and will now be watching even more closely.

Their doorbell security camera did not deter the bold thief from striking and disappearing with their box from Crate and Barrel.

“It was less than an hour. It was almost immediate,” said Neckorcuk. “I got an email saying it was delivered this morning. I poked my head out the door and saw it wasn’t there.”

Neckorcuk looked at surveillance video from his doorbell camera to investigate and saw exactly how it vanished.

The footage shows a man walking past his front door several times and attempting to cover his face.

The suspect is then seen grabbing the box from Crate and Barrel and taking off.

“You expect that to happen at night. Having it happen first thing in the morning when it’s bright out, right after Thanksgiving, was shocking to say the least.”

A Cambridge Police spokesperson said the thief apparently wasn’t interested in the home furnishings he found inside the box and stashed the stolen goods behind a neighbor’s bush.

Police released two other surveillance videos from two recent package thefts in Cambridge that have already helped police to arrest and charge two suspects.

Cambridge Police released the following tips to protect yourself from package thieves:

• Track your packages online, so you have a better idea when it is scheduled to arrive, and/or sign up for delivery alert notifications.
• Request that your packages arrive when/if you plan on being home or request that they are placed in a secure location outside your home.
• If you do need to travel, place a hold on your package until you return to keep your parcel safe.
• Have your packages delivered to your work address in the event that you are not able to be home.
• Consider utilizing “store pickups” or “hub lockers” and pick up your items at your convenience.
• Consider installing a security camera or utilizing lockboxes that provide access codes to delivery companies.

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