WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Not only was a man caught on surveillance video trying to steal two packages from a home, but a neighborhood hero was watching the whole thing.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office said on March 21, the man in the video picked up a delivered package from the front porch of a home and took it around the back. He came back around and did the same thing with another one of the packages.
The sheriff's office said a man named Richard saw it all go down and confronted the alleged porch pirate over his thievery.
The sheriff's office said the man tried to explain to Richard that he was "merely protecting" the packages because they had already been stolen by some kids. He said he ran after the kids and got the packages back.
Richard said he wasn't buying the man's story and that he saw no kids around in the neighborhood.
The sheriff's office said once the man was in the back of the house, he opened one of the packages with his pocketknife.
The sheriff's office said it normally doesn't recommend confronting suspected criminals, but "having met Richard, we believe he could have handled the Porch Pirate easily had things turned physical."
"Good job, Richard (thunderous cop applause ensues)," the sheriff's office posted on Facebook.
The sheriff's office is still looking for the suspect seen in the video from the Lake Ned area near Cypress Gardens Road. Anything with information is asked to call Detective VonLeue at 863-297-1107.
To remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward, contact Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS (8477). Anonymity is guaranteed.
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the 10News app now.
Have a news tip? Email desk@wtsp.com, or visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.