A Florida homeowner caught a man in an Amazon vest on video. He was seen swapping a package for an empty box. This incident has led to a criminal probe.
The event took place just before 1 p.m. on March 5 in DeLand, according to homeowner Anthony Grant. He was expecting a new iPhone delivery when the swap occurred.
"It was a little bit disenfranchising," Grant shared with FOX 35 Orlando.
A FedEx driver had delivered the iPhone, capturing the moment with a photo to confirm the delivery. Grant's Ring doorbell recorded everything.
Roughly 15 minutes later, another man approached. He wore a hat and an Amazon vest, looking quite convincing. "The outfit looked convincing, I will say," Grant remarked.
This man swapped the FedEx package with an empty, open box and then fled. The whole scene was caught on Grant's surveillance camera.
Grant mentioned that iPhones could be tracked through their IMEI number, making the theft seem pointless. "When you report it to AT&T, iPhones have an IMEI number, and they can block it. They can track it if it gets turned on, so it just seems kind of silly to do that when you really can't use the phone," he said.
The incident was reported to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office. However, there were no significant updates on the investigation or any suspect identification.
Grant is now reconsidering home deliveries for phones to prevent future thefts.
Amazon was contacted but hasn't responded. However, they clarified to FOX 35 that the individual was not an Amazon delivery person and affirmed their cooperation with the investigation.