Cops seek Grinch stealing packages from U.D. homes

UPPER DARBY >> ‘Tis the season for some Grinchy characters to steal packages full of holidays presents and gifts.

The Upper Darby Police Department is looking for a number of persons who stole mailed items that were waiting at the front doors of their intended recipients from three different addresses throughout the township on Monday and Tuesday.

The first theft occurred Monday evening sometime around 5 and 6 p.m. on the 4600 block of Woodlawn Avenue in Upper Darby. A package delivered by Amazon containing a Monopoly board game, toys and a hair care product was swiped from this address, said Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood on Tuesday afternoon.

The second incident was caught on home surveillance video where four teenagers were identified swiping a package delivered by the postal service containing a pair of brown dress shoes. The theft occurred Monday night at approximately 7:45 p.m. in the 3900 block of Mary Street in Drexel Hill. Police are in the process of securing the surveillance footage from the private residence for investigation.

On Tuesday evening at around 5 p.m. a man described as a black male with a beard was spotted on surveillance footage from a home in the 800 block of Terwood Road in the Aronimink section stealing a package from QVC, the contents of which are valued at $500. In this instance, the suspect is seen driving away with the package in an Enterprise box truck parked across the street from the residence.

Chitwood believes the same man who stole from the Terwood property is also responsible for the Woodlawn theft on Monday evening and police are actively looking for the Enterprise vehicle for that reason. “We have a good lead on him,” said Chitwood. The police chief said home surveillance systems have helped police in the last few years for capturing these package-grabbing thefts in neighborhoods. He also elaborated on the types of people who commit these acts.

“These bums don’t work, they follow the truck UPS, FedEx, postal service - and they watch them drop off a package. When they see they drop the package and leave they come up and take it,” he said.

Anyone with tips are asked to call Upper Darby Police at 610-734-7693.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Surveillance image captures suspect stealing a package from a home on Terwood Road in Drexel Hill Tuesday night. Police are looking for the Enterprise box truck located in the background that the suspect fled in with the stolen items.