Ont. mother victim of porch pirates as holiday season nears

While it may not be December just yet, package deliveries left on porches are once again the target for thieves or so-called 'porch pirates.'

Francesca Cannizzaro of Newmarket set up tracking details for a package she was to receive on Tuesday.

The single mother received a notification at 2 p.m. indicating that the package, which was a Christmas gift for her kids, had been delivered.

"I looked on my ring camera and I could clearly see the driver drop it off in front of my porch," Cannizzaro told CTV News on Thursday. "When I got home, there was no package."

Cannizzaro asked her kids if they brought the package in, but was told no.

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Her ring camera footage didn't show what happened after the package was delivered, so she turned to her neighbour across the street, who has more cameras on his home.

"He sent me three videos and clearly, you can see two individuals walking, stopping in front of my house and looking at the package," she said.

The videos show an individual in white with a hoodie over their head running up to Cannizzaro's porch and taking off with her package.

More footage was able to get closeups of their faces and indicated that they were carrying a basketball at the time.

"I feel very violated," Cannizzaro said. "We're all suffering with this economy, we're trying to do our best. You want to order something or you want to start your Christmas shopping early so your bank account doesn't get hit all at once and then this happens and it's just like, basically a slap in the face."

Cannizzaro reported the incident through York Regional Police's online reporting system and said an officer contacted her just prior to her interview for this story.

"Any time that opportunity does exist, we do see an increase in crime," said Const. James Dickson of the York Regional Police. "This is particularly true around the holidays."

Dickson said criminals have become more bold in recent years, going as far as to track and follow delivery vehicles throughout the day.

"We've had previously, drivers calling the police to say, 'hey, there's someone following me,'" Dickson said. "In a case like that, it's very easy for us to be able to set up to follow this person and to arrest them in the act. Oftentimes, while a single package may be under $5,000, I've personally seen areas where we've been able to recover tens of thousands of dollars worth of product."

There are some tips for consumers over the holiday to protect against grinches trying to steal Christmas.

If you order from Amazon or Walmart, consider granting inside access to the deliverer of these goods. You can also monitor your front porch with a security camera or video doorbell, and give the delivery service special instructions to place your package elsewhere.

Dickson said there are delivery boxes that also offer a bit more privacy, and that signing up for tracking alerts is a good tool.

"One of the things I certainly see in my neighbourhood is people don't necessarily know their neighbours the way they used to," he added. "I really encourage this holiday season that people get to know the people around them and make sure that you have alternatives to having these things while you're at work."

Police say anyone with information into Cannizzaro's case are asked to contact police.

If you've been a victim of theft, you're also asked to contact officers or Crime Stoppers.