Online Christmas shoppers, beware.
A San Jose man said he caught one person on surveillance tape, stealing his mail packages.
San Jose police think YouTube may give them help in discovering who has been stealing packages from peoples' doorsteps in North San Jose.
This video, which has been posted on YouTube, not only shows a woman apparently taking off with a package recently, but appears to show the woman scoping out a home across the street.
The suspect is believed to have struck at least five different times. But last week, one homeowner said he caught the suspect on tape.
The packages and mail kept disappearing from the Roque home. So Romeo Roque got suspicious.
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"I decided to set up a camera and leave some bait packages," Roque said.
When Roque looked at the video, there she was.
"To be honest, I was livid. I was actually quite mad," Roque said. "First of all, I wasn't exactly expecting a female."
The woman has a pair of scissors in one hand, to presumably open the packages left on the porch. And she looks right at the camera.
Roque said she has struck roughly five times since early November.
"I do feel violated," Roque said. "Packages, stuff you order online, they're monetary. Doesn't really matter. But when she started taking my mail, I decided to take action."
Roque set up the cameras and he bought a mailbox with a lock.
He has passed out fliers and he has filed five police reports. Only this time, he gave police evidence.
He also posted it on YouTube and other social networking sites.
"What I told a lot of friends is "'m going to make her Internet-famous," Roque said.
On the video the woman walks up with a somewhat empty plastic bag. She walks back a minute later and the bag is full.
Now Roque is worried about identity theft.
"I wouldn't have suspected my mail was missing before," he said. "She was taking the letters but leaving the magazines and junk mail behind, so it looked like the mail did come."
San Jose Police said they have not seen a surge in package thefts. But that could mean people aren't reporting it. Or they don't even know someone could be taking their deliveries.
"I've had tons of packages," Roque said. "I shop online quite a bit."
Now Roque waits to find out who the woman in the video is.
Police recommend you have someone sign for your packages, so the delivery isn't left on your doorstep and you could also have it shipped to your work.
