While At Work, Staten Island Woman Watches Thief Steal Christmas Presents On Video
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Technology simultaneously helped and horrified a woman while she was at work this week.
As CBS2's Tracee Carrasco reported, a live picture of Michele Santobello's home showed a man stealing Christmas presents. But there was simply nothing she could do about it.
"I couldn't believe what I was seeing," Santobello said.
From her desk at work in Manhattan on Monday afternoon, Santobello watched a live surveillance feed coming from her New Dorp, Staten Island home. It showed a man scoping out the house, before confidently walking up to the front door and stealing a just=delivered package from the front porch -- a Christmas present for her husband.
"I can see the package in the view of the camera and I was just watching it, because my husband was out at a Christmas party and I knew that nobody was home," Santobello said. "I was watching this at my desk live, flipping out, screaming at my phone -- because you feel like you can't do anything."
The Santobellos have had packages stolen the past two Christmases, which is why they installed the surveillance cameras. But not even the cameras or a sticker affixed to their house reading, "Smile you're on camera," stopped the thief.
"It looked like this was something that came easy to them, like if they were just nonchalant as if it belonged to them," Santobello said.
And just three blocks away from the Santobellos' home on Mill Road, another Christmas package was stolen off a front porch.
"When I came at 3 o'clock from the stores, it was gone," said Ursula Marco.
A thief got to 80-year-old Marco's package before she could. Inside was a present for her daughter.
"It was supposed to be a surprise, but I said, 'They stole your present,'" Marco said. "I called the company. They sent me another one. But still, you know, you feel bad."
The Santobellos believe the thieves follow the delivery trucks around and wait for their opportunity.
"They look to see where it's dropped off and after the UPS truck is out of sight, you know, moves off the block, they sit for a while, they look around, and then they come and get your package if nobody opens the door," Said Ronnie Santobello.
The Santobellos are victims are hoping their surveillance video will help catch the thief, and serve as a warning to other online shoppers.
The NYPD is investigating the case. There had been no arrests as of late Thursday.
