Tables Turned On Tampa Porch Pirates With Baby's Dirty Diapers

TAMPA, FL — It really reeks when eagerly awaited holiday gifts get swiped off your doorstep by porch pirates, but one Tampa family battled the seasonal thefts with some equally noxious ammunition -- dirty diapers.

Over the course of a few weeks starting in mid-November, Sharly and Jacky Saleep, who live in the Macfarlane Park neighborhood in West Tampa, say three packages containing items they ordered online from Amazon and other companies never arrived, including gifts for their 9-month-old baby daughter, Nora.

The young family decided to teach the thieves a lesson.

They installed a surveillance camera outside their front door. Then they filled a decoy package with Nora's dirty diapers collected over a three-day period.

“It was really disgusting, but I figured, you know, if they take it, they deserve it,” said Sharly Saleep told ABC Action News.

Jacky Saleep said her husband took care to make the cardboard box containing the poopy diapers appear as if it was a professionally packaged purchase from an online company, something that would attract porch pirates scoping out neighborhoods for expensive items being delivered for the holidays.

“It was kind of like a team effort. He sealed up the package, made it look less suspicious -- like somethng you want to take," said Jacky Shaleep as she bounced baby Nora on her lap. "And she provided the diapers."

With the trap set, it took only two hours for the package to disappear from the Shaleeps' front porch around 4 p.m. Dec. 2. Their newly installed surveillance camera caught the theft on video and they handed it over to Tampa Police.

“Whoever these porch pirates were, they fell for it,” said Tampa Police Public Information Officer Sarah Michelson. "It is that time of the year when you do, unfortunately, get a lot of these types of thefts."

The good news is snatch-and-grab package thefts are down in Tampa this year, she said.

In November 2018, police received reports of 25 packages stolen from porches. This November, the department received just 10 reports.

“Residents are a lot more aware of what’s going on and our officers are definitely out there and visible,” said Michelson.

This could be the result of a public service campaign the Tampa Police launched in April 2018.

The public information staff produced a video in which a large package is delivered to a Tampa home. When the porch pirate tries to grab the package, a Tampa police officer jumps out and handcuffs the thief.

Tampa Police followed up with a public service video in December 2018 that went viral.

In the video, Tampa resident LeRoy Vanek dressed in a Grinch costume surreptitiously approaches a home and steals a Christmas gift from a front porch while the Grinch's faithful sidekick, Max, played by Vanek's dog, Mojo, looks on. As the Grinch makes off with his prize, he's greeted by a team of Tampa Police officers who promptly cuff the Dr. Seuss character.

In July, the Grinch video won the Best in Show award from the National Association of Government Communicators at the NAGC's Blue Pencil & Gold Screen Awards banquet in Arlington, Virginia.

See related stories:

Popular Tampa Police 'Grinch' Video Wins National Award
Tampa Police Create Hilarious Video To Warn Of Package Thefts

Tampa Police Department

While the video captured on the Shaleeps' home surveillance system lacked the panache of the police department's videos, it demonstrated how quickly these seasonal thieves can act.

In the video, three men are seen approaching the Shaleeps' home on bikes. One of the bicyclists quickly dismounts, runs to the front door and grabs the package in a matter of seconds.

As Jacky Shaleep watched the video of the theft on her home computer, she said she couldn't help but smile, imagining the surprised looks on the faces of the thieves as they unveiled their smelly stolen booty.

"Well, we got 'em," she said.

While Nora remains oblivious to the role she played punking the porch pirates who dared to take some of the holiday spirit out of her first Christmas by stealing her presents, the Shaleeps say they'll tell her the story when she's old enough to understand.

"We'll tell her it's not right to take other people's things," she said.

And her message to would-be package thieves: "Just be careful. It (the package) might not be what you're expecting when you open it up."

Tampa Police shared the Shaleeps' video in the hopes someone will recognize the thieves. Anyone with information should call 813-276-3200.

Tampa Police have compiled a list of tips to prevent Grinches from stealing residents' holiday spirit.