Exclusive: Young child used as porch pirate captured on video, victim speaks out
MIAMI - Miami Police say it's a crime they have not seen before and a victim is speaking out after a "porch pirate," who could be as young as 5 years old is captured on camera stealing a package from her home.
"This makes me sick to my stomach to see this poor child being put through this," said the victim in an exclusive interview with CBS News MIami's Peter D'Oench.
The victim, named Amelia, who did not want to show her face or disclose her last name, said she wanted to speak out and had posted the video on social media to alert other homeowners about this crime.
Miami Police spokesman Mike Vega said, "I have never seen a crime where they are doing this. Porch pirates are all over doing this. But using a child, this is the first time I have seen this. It is heartbreaking that a child is doing this crime. Why would you have a child do this at such an early age."
Amelia shared a Ring cam video with CBS News Miami showing how an Amazon deliveryman had dropped off her package with $40 worth of clothing in it.
She checked her ring cam video when she noticed the package had not arrived at her home in the Silver Bluff neighborhood near Coral Way and near S.W. 24th Ave. and S.W. 24th St.
She said "I was stunned to see the incident where the child was involved. It wasn't so much the act of taking a package. It was a child taking a package. I felt like this was an act that was not acceptable."
She said it happened at 940 this past, chilly Monday night at a time when most children who are the youngster's age are in bed on a school night.
Amelia said, "The child looks to be between 5, 6 or 7 years old. He looks like a boy. He was wearing a red jogging suit and a white Beanie hat. He was with an adult wearing a hoodie. Initially, he picked up a rock before going to the house then you hear him running away saying 'I got it. I got it.' This was terrible and everywhere I post it everyone says they feel the same way. This was not right."
Amelia said, "I am speechless. I don't know what to say."
Vega said, "I don't know who the child was with, be it a mother, sister, or a friend. But this was the wrong thing. This adult is going to face the consequences. She is going to face the consequences for doing this. Why would you have a child do something like this and teach this child to become a thief at an early age."
Amelia said she planned to file a police report and Vega said filing police reports in these cases is very important so police can do a more effective job of finding criminals and keeping track of these crimes.
Vera said, "It's very important that you call and report crimes like this. This way we will know how many victims there are and we will know if there are multiple crimes in certain areas."
Amelia said she had spoken with one neighbor who told her that she had seen a woman in the neighborhood with the same child recently.
She said, "It may mean that she lives in the neighborhood." Police could not say where the woman lives.
If you can help Miami Police find the youngster and the woman involved in this theft, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (304) 471-TIPS (8477).
