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Man Appears To Steal Package After Delivering It

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Thieves swiping packages right off front steps is an increasing concern this time of year.

But, here's a troubling twist: One Bucktown resident believes the same person who delivered her package also stole it.

Home security cameras captured what should have been a normal UPS delivery. The person, wearing a brown coat with the UPS symbol, set three packages down. Instead of walking away, however, the delivery person appears to open one of the boxes, remove something, then bury the opened box beneath the other two.

"From what I know, there was a cell phone in the box that she was getting delivered," said Steve Jensen, who's with the Bucktown Community Organization.

The incident happened on the 1700 block of North Winchester. Jensen says the victim, who did not want to appear on camera, also filed a police report.

"I've never seen it before, and that's what got my attention this morning," Jensen said.

This is the latest in an ongoing string of package thefts from porches -- and Chicago isn't thieves' only target. A Sauk Village resident, Maria Diaz, says packages were also stolen from her brother's house, which is in a gated community. Again, security cameras captured the thief calmly pick up three packages and saunter off with them.

"I think they're [porch package thefts] on the rise, and we'll see them on the rise until, probably, after the holidays," Jensen said, who recommended sending packages to your office.

A UPS spokesperson says they are investigating the Bucktown theft, adding they take package security seriously. She could not indicate how long the investigation would take or if that driver is still out delivering packages.

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