Bat-wielding homeowner catches porch pirate by setting trap, video shows

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New York City man sets trap for porch pirates, runs out of his house with a bat

Carlos Mejia, of Queens, said he’s "done" with criminals stealing his packages and used a decoy to lure a thief. CREDIT: Carlos Mejia via Storyful

A New York City homeowner snared a sticky-fingered porch pirate in his trap and greeted him with a baseball bat, security video shows. 

Carlos Mejia of Queens used a bat to hold the guy who grabbed the decoy package on Saturday, but Mejia said he’s “done” with thieves following FedEx and UPS trucks to nab packages left on his porch. 

It’s a frustrating issue that impacts online customers across the country. In New York City alone, an estimated 90,000 packages are lost or stolen each day, according to the NYC Department of Transportation.

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

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Carlos Mejia, of Queens, New York, said he’s “done” with porch pirates and set a trap for a would-be thief and stopped him. (@Losmej31/TikTok)

The video from Mejia’s home security system, which he uploaded to TikTok, shows a thief wearing a green sweater with “Excellence” across his chest casually opening Mejia’s gate and stuffing the decoy box in his backpack. 

Mejia sprints out of his home with a bat like a bull when the gate opens. 

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The startled would-be thief throws his hands up in desperation and says, “Oh, s—, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo, I just didn’t want nobody to take him, bro.”

With the bat resting on his right shoulder like Babe Ruth, Mejia points at the suspect and repeatedly asks, “What do you got in there?”

A porch pirate seen stealing a decoy package set up by a Queens homeowner. (@Losmej31/TikTok)

The guy says it’s only his belongings and tells Mejia he can have everything. The angry homeowner makes him drop to his knees. 

“I don’t give a f—,” he barks at the man. “Get on your knees.”

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The suspect was identified as Victor Stazzone, a 36-year-old man who was allegedly seen in another video doing the same thing. 

Mejia has been using TikTok to call attention to porch pirates. He uploaded several videos that show how nonchalantly criminals come to his home, steal his packages and walk away, as if they were grabbing their own mail. 

“Finally got a thief with decoy boxes,” Mejia wrote in the now-viral TikTok video. 

The suspect was identified as 36-year-old Victor Stazzone. (@Losmej31/TikTok)

1 in 4 consumers reported a package stolen: study

About 26% of consumers said they had a package stolen, according to a study by the Chamber of Commerce, which was published on Jan. 19. 

The Chamber of Commerce said 1 in 4 online customers had a package stolen by a porch pirate, according to a study. (Chamber of Commerce Study (January 2024))

Most customers – 88% – track their packages, according to a study by the Chamber of Commerce, which was published in January 2024.

Nearly half – 49% – of porch pirate incidents occur at a single-unit residential home, and 42% of victims live in an apartment or condo, according to the study. 

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Among the victims, 22% had a doorbell camera, but 38% believe the cameras don’t deter thieves, the study shows. About 25% were never reimbursed for their stolen items. 

The average value of a stolen package was $81.91. 

Fox News Digital’s Emmett Jones contributed to this report. 

Chris Eberhart is a crime and US news reporter for Fox News Digital. Email tips to chris.eberhart@fox.com or on Twitter @ChrisEberhart48.