Thief follows Amazon delivery driver, then steals packages

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Metro Police is searching for a thief that appeared to be following behind an Amazon delivery driver and stealing packages right after they were dropped off.

A man was captured on security camera video taking packages off the front step of a house along Rose Street in broad daylight this week.

Wendi Powers lives down the block from the house that had the packages stolen and said she saw the thief pull into the driveway and knew something wasn’t right.

“The packages they stole is the little kid’s school clothes,” Powers said. “That’s not stuff that comes cheap. That’s a couple of hours’ worth of work for them, so we try to look out for each other.”

Powers said she is now on edge because there have been a couple of similar thefts leading up to this week’s Prime Day. After calling her neighbor about the stolen packages of children’s clothes, Powers said she went around to every house on the block telling people about the theft.

“I was going up and down with my iPad showing all of my neighbors,” Powers said. “I was like, ‘be on the lookout for this guy because this is what’s going on.’ We walk our dogs around here. We’re in a city and we understand that, but we still expect human decency.”

Amazon said it has several tools to prevent people from following behind their delivery vans. Drivers try to hand packages directly to someone by using delivery window notifications. If no one is home, drivers are able to put packages inside a garage or deliver it to a secure drop off location.

However, with thousands of packages delivered in Nashville every day, Amazon said it’s impossible to prevent all of them from being stolen and will work to help any customers that did not receive what they ordered.

Powers has a simple message for any thieves that might come into her neighborhood looking to take more packages this holiday season.

“I feel bad that they’re in such a position in their life that they have to resort to being the bottom scum of humanity to rip off other people,” Powers said.

“We try to have each other’s backs and keep our security cameras going. We just try to look out for each other the best we can.”

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