Dueling porch pirates scuffle to steal package outside Pennsylvania home

Saturday, June 22, 2024 2:00AM
Video: Porch pirates fight to steal package outside PA home
Within seconds of the delivery, doorbell video shows two men sprint to the door and scuffle over who will steal the package of cellphones.

SINKING SPRING BOROUGH, Penn. -- A pair of porch pirates were caught on video racing and scuffling to steal a package moments after it was delivered to a Pennsylvania home.

It happened earlier this week in Sinking Spring, Berks County - about an hour northwest of Philadelphia - as a FedEx delivery driver was walking away.

Within seconds of the delivery, doorbell video shows two men who pulled up in separate cars sprint to the residence. As they both reach the porch, they push and take swings at each other - and one even picks up a flowerpot and tries to wield it as a weapon, then chases after the other man who had scooped up the package first.

This all happened as family members were inside the home.

Video captures dueling porch pirates race to steal package outside Berks County home

"My family's life was at risk and that's scary," said the resident who shared the video with Philadelphia station WPVI.

He says the package was being delivered from AT&T.

"How did they find out these phones were being delivered? Something fishy is going on here," the resident posted on Facebook.

To have these two scumbags come into our community and get into a potentially deadly altercation over stealing a package is unbelievable.
Police Chief Chris Stouch

Chief Chris Stouch with the Lower Heidelberg Township Police Department told WFMZ that officers are on the hunt for the two suspects.

"But to have these two scumbags come into our community and get into a potentially deadly altercation over stealing a package is unbelievable and I really look forward to catching and apprehending these guys because I want to make an example of them," said Stouch.

The chief says doorbell cameras help, but more needs to be done to stop this brazen activity.

"That's a huge key to helping apprehend the individuals, but it's not stopping. As you can see in this video, at least one of the individuals was wearing some sort of mask to disguise his face," Stouch said.

ALSO SEE: Porch pirate uses trash bag as disguise

Surveillance video shows a porch pirate -- disguised inside a plastic bag -- approaching a Sacramento homeowner's front door and stealing a package.

FedEx says its top priority is making sure customers receive packages safely and securely.

The company released this statement to WPVI on the incident:

"In recent years we've introduced innovative visibility technologies to give our customers added peace of mind when it comes to the reliable delivery of their packages. These tools have proven very helpful in combating porch piracy and improving the overall customer experience. Our flexible solutions like Picture Proof of Delivery, FedEx Delivery Manager, and the FedEx mobile app offer customers a convenient experience, with more control over the timing and location of their deliveries."