VIDEO: $550 pair of shoes taken in ‘ding dong ditch’ prank, police say

Police say a teen was stealing packages from a home in Oakwood, Ohio.

Credit: via WHIO.com

Credit: via WHIO.com

Police say a teen was stealing packages from a home in Oakwood, Ohio.

A teen told police he was "ding dong ditching" with another person when he stole two packages from a woman's porch last week, according to an Oakwood police report.

The packages, which contained a $550 pair of shoes and over $60 in cosmetics, were taken from a front porch on Oakwood Avenue around 9:30 a.m., the report read. The teen was caught in the act on home surveillance, which was turned over to police.

After identifying the teen, he told police he stole the package and hid it behind a tree across the street “as a joke,” the report said. However, when police went to look for the package behind the tree, the package was not there.

Officers said the teen could either face theft charges or agree to pay the woman back for the items that were stolen. The teen agreed to pay the woman back and no charges were pursued.

The case is a reminder as holiday packages are delivered there are options to protect yourself from thieves:

  • Have packages delivered to your place of work
  • Arrange to have a neighbor pickup your packages
  • Purchase a package guard device