A mobile phone express was stolen from the doorstep within half an hour. A Chinese woman said that the empty box was quickly and accurately transferred.

Surveillance footage has revealed a startling incident in Irvine, California, where a Hispanic man was seen stealing a package from a doorstep. Wendy, a Chinese-American woman, recently fell victim to this unsettling theft after ordering the latest iPhone model. She had placed her order with AT&T, expecting it to be delivered by FedEx, but within just half an hour of the delivery, her new device disappeared.

Wendy shared her experience, saying, “I ordered the new iPhone 16 on September 30, and it was set to arrive the next day. When I checked my door around noon on October 1, I was shocked to find an open, empty box. That’s when I realized my phone was stolen.”

In her quest to understand what happened, Wendy eagerly reviewed the footage from her doorbell camera. She observed that FedEx delivered the package at 11:18 AM, leaving it at her front door. However, just 26 minutes later, a masked Hispanic man was recorded on camera. He casually approached her home, picked up the package, and exchanged it for an empty box from his backpack before walking away without a care.

Wendy had been inside her home and only discovered the empty box when she checked for her delivery. Alarmed, she immediately called the police and shared the surveillance video with them. Reflecting on the incident, Wendy couldn’t shake the feeling that the theft was meticulously planned. “How did the thief know when the FedEx driver would arrive? How did he know it was something valuable?” she wondered.

Wendy speculated that the thief was aware the package contained an expensive item, likely the new iPhone model. “I’ve seen the FedEx driver around regularly,” she said. “This is the first time anything like this has happened. It’s alarming that it occurred just 30 minutes after delivery. It makes me think the suspect might have been tracking the delivery van.”

Wendy also suspects she might not be the only one affected. The empty box left behind had the same shipping details as hers, indicating it came from the AT&T warehouse, known for offering one-day delivery. She believes that box could belong to another victim of a similar theft, especially since many customers ordered items on the launch day of the new iPhone.

After the incident, Wendy reached out to AT&T, who offered to send her a replacement phone. However, she expressed frustration over the limited options for secure deliveries, noting, “On launch day, I wanted to choose a signature delivery for safety, but they said it wasn’t available. Why can other courier services provide signature collection for less expensive items but not for a $1,200 iPhone?”

Reflecting on her ordeal, Wendy raised concerns about safety in Irvine. “I moved here three years ago, and I’ve already dealt with two thefts. The first happened when I was away for just one day. Now, my package is gone within half an hour of being delivered,” she lamented. Through her story, Wendy hopes to raise awareness about the importance of being vigilant with delivery times, especially for valuable items.