Mistaken Porch Pirate Blasted Online After Christmas Delivery Mix-Up
NATOMAS (CBS13) — It was a case of mistaken porch pirate identity in Natomas. A woman was caught on camera taking a package off a porch and hours later, the video and her picture were blasted on social media. But, the woman says it's a complete misunderstanding.
At first look, it appears to be yet another case of a porch pirate caught red-handed, swiping a stranger's package, but if you ask the woman in the video, it's not at all what it looks like.
"I just took my own gift," she said.
The woman named Vicky says it all started Christmas day with a gift that she asked her son to drop off at her friend's house. She says he accidentally put it on the wrong porch.
"It's a mess. Seriously, it's a mess," she said.
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The next day, when the friend still hadn't received the gift, Vicky says she drove through the neighborhood where she spotted the still wrapped present on the porch two doors down.
"My instinct was, let me just take it back because it's my toy, it's my gift," said Vicky.
But as she grabbed the gift, the home's Ring camera started recording, and the next day the homeowner worried he had been ripped off and posted the video on social media.
"It hurts because I know I'm not guilty, plus my conscience it's clear," she said.
Sacramento Police confirmed they received an online police report about the alleged porch theft. On Ring's Instagram page the video of Vicky taking her gift is still playing on repeat as a neighborhood alert and has been viewed thousands of times.
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"It was all misunderstanding," said Vicky.
Fortunately, the Christmas gift ended up in the right hands. The gift recipient Vivian Mendoza said, "I feel bad for her because she has to go through this."
Now, this wrongly-accused porch pirate hopes people will think twice before jumping to judgment online.
"I'm innocent. At least my name will be cleared," said Vicky.
The homeowner who posted the ring video declined to comment, but Vicky says he has since apologized for the misunderstanding and has removed the post on social media.
Ring officials say their video should be removed by Wednesday.
