Northern Ontario porch pirate steals grocery delivery from family in quarantine
In the age of doorstep deliveries, porch pirates who steal items from front doors have become common, but one North Bay mom says she was scared by a recent encounter with one.
It happened in the West Ferris area of North Bay around 11 a.m. Thursday, Devyn Crocker told CTV News.
Crocker and her children are quarantined at home after contracting COVID-19.
She said it was "very creepy" to find a stranger standing on her doorstep eating her strawberries when she went to retrieve her online grocery order Thursday morning.
"When I opened the door, he had zero reaction. When I told him to leave my property, he just kept mumbling gibberish," Crocker said on social media.
When he refused to leave after several requests, she said took out her phone and started recording a video of the incident "out of fear."
The video she posted captured the person mumbling something about "stolen property" before picking up a bag of groceries and walking away without a backwards glance.
With kids at home, she said the encounter was scary and is warning others to keep an eye out.
"Things seem to be getting more scary out in the world. Unbelievable," Crocker said.
The video she posted online has more than 5,200 views in less than 24 hours.
North Bay police confirm an investigation into the theft is open and anyone with information is encouraged to call police or Crime Stoppers.
"A suspect will hopefully be identified shortly," said Acting Sgt. Douglas MacIntosh.
Incidents of porch pirating are increasing slowly due to a spike in online deliveries which started during the pandemic, police said.
"A lot of commercial carriers have online accounts and you can have an option where instead of just leaving the package unattended at the front door, where it's visible, you can have it delivered to the back door or behind a gate," MacIntosh said.
By taking the opportunity for theft away, your goods will be more protected, he said.
"You can also accept the signature delivery option, so that way, the recipient is there to receive it and sign for it," Macintosh said.
Anyone who orders high-end goods such as jewelry, electronics or auto parts, for example, to consider having them shipped to the post office or at a commercial carrier and held for pickup, he recommended.
Police continue to encourage the reporting of all thefts so they can properly investigate.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
BREAKING London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.