What an eventful afternoon! Here's the summary:
- Packages stolen at 1:50pm
- I look at the video at 2:00pm, call the police, leave work and head home (at an elevated speed)
- When I get home (2:20), the SUV is still near my house. I follow it to their house.
- I park a distance away, dial 911 on my cell, put it on speakerphone, then wedge it into my helmet.
- After a few minutes, the SUV drives back to my house (!). I stay a distance away, giving info to the dispatcher.
- They drive back to their house, drop two people off, and the SUV leaves. I stayed at the house with the two people.
- Police show up, talk with some of the house residents. They run the plate of the SUV, which is registered nearby.
- Others at the house cover for the two, so they don't get anyone.
- When the police and I go back to my house, the boxes are there, so they returned them while I was following. I opened the boxes and gave the (now empty) boxes to the officer for fingerprints.
So, the upshot: I got the packages back, these folks know not to come to my place again, and the city detectives are thrilled with the video footage.
How do the cameras work?
I get asked this a lot, so I wrote an article describing the process.
 Woman coming to the door for the packages. |
 Picking up the packages. |
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 Setting the packages on the potted plant. |
 Picking the packages back up. |
 Ringing the doorbell again. |
 I think this guy (Mr. Beanie) saw the cameras, and called for his friends to come to the door with him. |
 Note Mr. Beanie isn't looking at the camera. He doesn't look at it directly again. |
 All three brothers now come to the door. |
 Looking at the camera. Mr. Beanie on the left. |
 Big Boy is committing a huge crime- smoking in Seattle! |
 Mr. Beanie accidentally looks at the camera. |
 This made us laugh- the female does a double take, like she finally saw the camera. |
 Holding my packages. |
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 Off they go. One last glance at the camera by Big Boy. |
 Ringing the doorbell (to make sure nobody is home). |
 Mr. Beanie ringing the doorbell. |
 Taking the packages away. |
 Returning the packages. |
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 Returning the packages- she even rings the doorbell again! How thoughtful. |