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    Moment NYC man fed up with porch pirates lures thief with fake parcels to catch him in the act

    By Snejana Farberov,

    2024-04-04

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3qXKrU_0sFSeeoe00

    Security camera footage shows the moment a suspected porch pirate walked into a Queens homeowner’s trap by trying to steal a fake parcel deliberately left on the stoop.

    Carlos Mejia said he was “done” with thieves following FedEx and UPS trucks and raiding his parcels, and decided to take matters into his own hands last week by leaving “decoy packages” outside his door with the aim of catching one of the bandits in the act.

    “I was just trying to make an example for those out there doing the same thing … stealing from others,” Mejia told Storyful.

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3txBYK_0sFSeeoe00
    Queens homeowner Carlos Mejia was seen on video threatening a suspected porch pirate with a baseball bat on Saturday. @Losmej31/TikTok

    Video from Mejia’s home security system, which has gone viral on TikTok with more than 800,000 views, shows a man entering his yard on Saturday, approaching the front steps, grabbing a box and trying to stuff it into his backpack.

    Porch pirate disguised as trash bag caught on video stealing packages from home

    At that moment, a visibly angry Mejia storms out of his house wielding a baseball bat.

    “Oh, s–t, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, I just didn’t want nobody to take him, bro!” the terrified suspect exclaims.

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=05cdAq_0sFSeeoe00
    Video from Mejia’s home security system shows a man entering his yard on Saturday, approaching the front steps, grabbing a box, and trying to stuff it into his backpack. @Losmej31/TikTok

    “What you got in there?” Mejia asks, to which the alleged thief brazenly claims that the item in the bag belongs to him.

    Thank pro-crime lawmakers for NYC’s $4.4 BILLION shoplifting black market

    “You can have everything, bro,” the man cries out while being threatened with the bat.

    The intruder repeatedly claims that he lives on the corner, but Mejia dismisses his mutterings.

    “I don’t give a f–k! Get on your knees,” he orders the man.

    A separate video posted by Mejia on his TikTok page shows the alleged thief trying to flee by scaling a fence, but the homeowner yanks him to the ground and holds him down until police arrive.

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    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1LGNYv_0sFSeeoe00
    A visibly angry Mejia storms out of his house wielding a baseball bat. @Losmej31/TikTok
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2nZE7E_0sFSeeoe00
    Police were called and arrested the suspected porch pirate, identified as 30-year-old Victor Stazzone. @Losmej31/TikTok

    Cops arrested the suspected porch pirate, identified as 36-year-old Victor Stazzone, as seen in another video, which depicts the accused crook dramatically screaming that he needs an ambulance and moaning about his hand.

    “Officer, what am I being arrested for?” Stazzone asks while lying face down on the ground and being placed in handcuffs.

    Stazonne was booked on charges of petit larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, and criminal trespass.

    Mejia later shared photos on TikTok showing what was inside the decoy package, which contained some old French fries and a notecard with the message: “Keep stealing our s–t and you wont [sic] make the next year b–ch a– f–king c–t!!”

    For the latest metro stories, top headlines, breaking news and more, visit nypost.com/metro/

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