Duo Of Dopey Package Thieves Caught In Act By Vigilant Michigan Homeowner

Tip to holiday season package thieves: Before stealing parcels left on doorsteps by the United Parcel Service driver, make sure that the vigilant neighbor across the street is not surreptitiously taking photos of you.

That is how Michigan cops arrested Brandon Ancell, 19, and Brandon Chait, 18, for a series of larcenies Thursday in Macomb County, a Detroit suburb.

According to police, the teenagers followed the trail of a UPS truck and took packages that had been left outside residences. Their scheme, however, was sunk when a homeowner watched as Ancell ran up to the porches of two homes “and stole packages that had been left there by a UPS driver,” reported the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office.

As seen above (click to enlarge), the homeowner snapped photos of Ancell mid-stride as he carried a large Macy’s box back to the getaway vehicle, a 2010 Nissan Altima being driven by Chait. The man called 911 to report the thefts, and while cops were en route to the neighborhood, a second resident dialed police to report “a theft from a porch on an adjacent street.”

Deputies quickly located the two Brandons inside the Nissan, which contained numerous stolen packages. Cops reported recovering 26 separate stolen items, including clothing, computer speakers, cosmetics, and even a 30-pound bag of dog food.

Ancell and Chait were arrested for larceny and conspiracy to commit larceny, and the Nissan was impounded. Following arraignment yesterday, the men were each released on $5000 personal recognizance bonds.