CLEARWATER, Fla. — UPDATE (March 10, 2022): The Clearwater Police Department confirms accused thief Ryan Harrison, 26, was booked Wednesday into the Pinellas County Jail.
Previous story below.
A suspected thief in Clearwater brings new meaning to the term "porch pirate."
A Captain Jack Sparrow look-alike is accused of doing some "pilfering and plundering" at a home where an Amazon package had just been dropped off on Hercules Avenue near Harding Street.
Perhaps it's a case of the Pirates of Clearwater, as opposed to the better-known Pirates of the Caribbean. As of this writing, there had been no sightings of Captain Sparrow's infamous ship, The Black Pearl.
"He came not by sea, but by a 2013 Subaru Forester, and snatched a package that had just been delivered by Amazon to a house there," a law enforcement spokesperson wrote in a statement.
It happened just before noon on Dec. 13, but the Clearwater Police Department just released the home surveillance video on Thursday. It shows the man in a jacket and long hair, strolling up to the porch where the package sat.
"We had troubles getting the video in a timely manner," the spokesperson explained by email. "And as you can see, the video stops after he pulls in the driveway and before he pilfers the package."
Based on the date, it wouldn't appear this man was dressed up for Gasparilla.
Now, detectives are trying to identify him. And, they're asking for the public's help. If you happen to know who this accused thief is, you are asked to contact police at 727-562-4242.
Of course, if you see a porch pirate or anything suspicious in your neighborhood, you are always urged to call authorities.