Man stealing UPS boxes

PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. - He comes in the middle of the day, swapping an empty box for one just delivered by UPS. Investigators with the Paulding County Sheriff's Office said it happened at least five times in February.

It happened at Steve Dutton's home. Fortunately, his surveillance system recorded video of the man in a silver Saturn, who swapped an empty box for a UPS box left by a tree in the front yard.

"He picked up the box, he had another box with him, put that one down, walked back to the car, and took off like it was something he had always been at before," said Steve Sutton.

Investigators said the thief is following UPS trucks into neighborhoods and waiting for his opportunity to steal.

"Detectives believe that he is trying to find UPS trucks and following them around, taking the packages and there are probably more situations where this has occurred," said Sergeant Ashley Henson of the Paulding County Sheriff's Office.

Henson said the man, described as 6'3", 220 pounds, was wearing a shirt with angel wings on the back.

Dutton said the thief took a UPS box with his wife's personal belongings. One of the items inside was a special Hot Chocolate 5K race shirt.

"By the way, it's a women's jacket, so we'll all know if a man's wearing it. We'll all know exactly that you didn't earn it," said Dutton.

He said it's just a matter of time before the box swapping crook comes across someone who might be armed.

"This is a county where I would say a lot of people have a weapon in their home. He probably stole maybe a hundred dollars worth of stuff from us, certainly not worth losing your life over," said Dutton.

Anyone with any information is asked to call the Paulding County Sheriff's Office.