Stealing packages from someone’s doorstep is one of the easiest crimes there is, but that doesn’t make it any less wrong, or any more legal. One homeowner in Texas happened to check on his home security cameras around the time that a FedEx package was delivered, then noticed that the package had suddenly vanished. He posted images from the camera on a local “neighborhood watch” Facebook group, and his neighbor identified the culprit.

Even better: instead of pressing charges, the homeowner was able to simply get his package back from the preteen thief. Let’s hope that being identified on camera by a friend’s mom deters the culprit from a future life of crime. “I’m not going to involve the police this time,” he told TV station KHOU. (Warning: auto-play video) “Next time, it won’t be the same whether I get the thing back or not.”

Yes, the package was (allegedly) taken by the friend of one of the neighbor kids. Another neighbor said that the boy had left a Houston Rockets sweater behind at her house after visiting his grandson. What was inside the missing FedEx page? Yes, a Houston Rockets sweater. There was an image that resembled the boy on the camera footage, too, sneaking in shortly after the FedEx delivery and taking the package. The thief wore a baseball cap and pulled his shirt over his face while peeking furtively at the camera locations, but was still recognized.

What are the lessons here? The missing package wasn’t FedEx’s fault, and being friendly with your neighbors definitely pays off. Unless you’re stealing from them.

Cypress homeowner tracks down stolen package using social media [KHOU] (Warning: auto-play video)

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