YONKERS, N.Y. — An accused porch pirate was caught on camera taking packages from a house in Yonkers, but he didn’t get far.
Police were alerted by the homeowner of the Yonkers house, who saw someone taking two packages from his property and stuffing one in a backpack before walking off, WABC-TV reported.
Officers confronted the man, later identified as Francisco Jose Eder Mateo, who refused to stop before running away.
Luckily, a Yonkers public works employee saw what was happening and stepped in — literally — using a maneuver that usually is seen on a football field or a hockey rink to stop the man, sending him to the ground.
The Yonkers Police Department shared a video of the alleged theft and subsequent takedown, writing on social media, “Despite his camouflaged jacket, Officers were able to spot EDER MATEO pretty easily. When they tried to stop him, he led them on a brief foot pursuit around the area. He thought he was getting away, until he was stopped in his tracks by a Yonkers public works employee who saw him running from the Officers.”
Christmas may be over, but the spirit of the Grinch is still alive in some people, especially Francisco Jose EDER MATEO, 27, of the Bronx. EDER MATEO decided that he was going to steal some packages from the porch of one of our residents. Unfortunately for him, our 2nd Precinct… pic.twitter.com/WAsUr2myRr
— Yonkers Police HQ (@YonkersPD) January 8, 2024
Eder Mateo was arrested, and charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property. Both are felonies. He is also facing misdemeanor charges. Mateo was released on his own recognizance.
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