FedEx driver-impersonating thief caught on camera three times stealing packages on one street in West Town
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A brazen thief was caught on camera stealing packages from neighbors' front stoops in West Town - while dressed as a FedEx delivery driver.
As CBS 2's Marissa Perlman reported Monday night, the thefts happened in seconds. Three neighbors on one street alone say they have fallen victim to the FedEx impostor's scam - and they all worry thieves are getting more creative to get people's stuff.
The three homeowners say the man was caught on each of their Ring doorbell cameras as he has stolen packages from porches along West Ohio Street.
Each time, his modus operandi is the same.
The suspected thief, wearing a face mask, walks up to a front porch wearing a navy-blue FedEx vest with a box in hand.
He quickly drops off the empty box, while swiping a package that was on the porch when he arrived. He then takes off - with his Chevrolet Trailblazer sport-utility vehicle having been left running outside.
"It's like, is any neighborhood in this city safe?" said West Ohio Street neighbor Patty Hallisey.
And it looks like this becoming a popular scam. Video shared with us of homeowners on the same street shows another suspect - this time wearing a DHL vest - hopping a fence and canvassing the entire house for packages.
Three thefts involving the FedEx driver impersonator happened on the same block over a two-day period last week. The suspect always leaves an empty box behind while taking a full one.
One of those empties was addressed to Steven Agley's home. He didn't even know he was missing a package - but he was.
"I'm surprised it happened to us, but I know it's happening all over the city," Agley said, "and it's really distressing."
Agley had seen videos of the suspect shared by neighbors on social media - but didn't realize he had become a victim until now.
"We've been ordering a whole lot more during the pandemic than we used to," he said.
West Town neighbors are now calling on police to catch the delivery driver dupe.
"We have to stop him," said Hallisey. "We have to stop him."
Neighbors we spoke with say they have filed police reports in hopes Chicago Police may track the suspect down.
Chicago Police say so far, there have been no arrests - but Area Three detectives are investigating.
We spoke with FedEx Monday night. They said it is not clear where they suspect got the vest - whether he is a former employee, or whether he stole that too.
