Neighbors work together to stop package thieves in Marysville

MARYSVILLE, Wash. — Neighbors in Marysville took matters into their own hands and caught of trio of package thieves in the act.

One woman who witnessed it chased the suspects through the neighborhood, catching two of the three.

Neighbors say they want thieves to know this neighborhood is not an easy target.

“There was a guy stealing packages a little way up the road,” said Alliey Thake, who lives in the neighborhood.

“It's Christmas time - not a good time to be taking people's packages for the holidays, for their kids. It’s horrible,” said Cheryl LaFlore, who also lives in the neighborhood.

The woman who witnessed the crime didn’t want to be identified but tells KIRO7’s Deedee Sun what happened.

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“I watched him just grab them (the packages) and walk back to his car with them,” she said. “I was not OK with what they were doing, and I believe in doing the right thing,” she said.

So she went after them.

“I drove up behind him and I honked on my horn and started to call the police and told him he needed to put down the packages,” she said.

Instead, she says he tossed the packages in the car - which had a getaway driver - and they took off.

“They probably were going 50 mph down our road,” she said. “They jumped a curb and almost wrecked their car and that's when the other neighbors came out."

She said the suspects made a wrong turn and wound up in this dead end.

That's when surveillance video shows her along with several other people from the neighborhood blocking in the suspects' car.

The driver, a woman, gets out and starts shouting with the neighbors.

If you watch the video closely, you can see someone climb into the front seat.

Neighbors in #Marysville follow & block in package thieves today after catching them in the act! A 21 y/o man got away, but neighbors held the trio long enough to stop two women. Police helped return stuff to rightful owners. #NorthSound @KIRO7Seattle pic.twitter.com/EZfYxNTjQB

The camera doesn't catch this part, but the man ends up speeding away.

He ditched the car not far from here and ran off.

Marysville said three of the car’s tires were damaged.

“It’s kind of frustrating because he's the one who stole the packages,” the woman who went

after him said.

Marysville police say they were able to get the stolen items back to their rightful owners.

Police have identified the 21-year-old male suspect who got away and may also charge the two women who were found in this area with him.

Police say as frustrating as package thefts may be, they urge you to not go after suspects because you never know what they might do or if they're armed.

Cox Media Group