Scrooges Swipe Christmas Gifts From Aquebogue Porch

Two sticky-fingered Scrooges paid a visit to an Aquebogue home a few weeks short of Christmas -- and stole the presents right off the front porch.

Aquebogue resident Brenda Green, who lives on Edgar Avenue, near the Aquebogue Elementary school, said on Tuesday, her 15-year-old daughter came home from school and noticed four packages on the front porch.

Her daughter, who was home alone, did not bring the packages inside immediately, Green said. Approximately 45 minutes later, her daughter looked out the window and saw an old blue station wagon pulling into the driveway.

Suspects ran to the porch, grabbed the packages, which contained Christmas presents, and sped away, Green said.

Riverhead Town police confirmed that on Tuesday at 3:28 p.m., two unknown middle-aged women removed several packages from Green's porch and left the area in an unknown blue station wagon.

The experience, Green said, has put a damper on her family's holiday spirit. "It was very scary. My daughter was definitely shaken by it."

On the upside, for every Grinch, there is a Good Samaritan, Green said. After contacting the post office, proof of delivery for three out of the four packages was tracked down -- and two of the three companies from which she had ordered the holiday gifts have refunded her account in full.

Green said she was shocked by the culprits' brazen attitude. "My house is right near the elementary school. There were buses rolling by."

The incident led Green to warn her friends and neighbors to bring their packages inside. 

"I'm having my packages delivered to my office and my neighbor's house now," she said. "So sad. Watch your Christmas deliveries."

The incident was the second reported theft of packages from a residence in two days: According to Suffolk County Police, two men were arrested for stealing packages from residential doorsteps on Tuesday.

According to police, an off-duty New York State Trooper allegedly spotted Albert Munoz and Freddy Benavides, Jr. stealing a package from the doorstep of a home in Bay Shore. The trooper called Suffolk County Police; third precinct patrol officer Arthur Martrano arrested Munoz and Benavides at 3:15 p.m. when the suspects pulled into the United States Post Office in Bay Shore.

Further investigation revealed that the suspects were allegedly following a UPS truck around the Bay Shore area and stole the packages after they were left on the doorsteps, police said. An Apple EarPod, Apple iPad Mini case, and two pairs of Skechers sneakers were reportedly recovered.

Munoz, 21, of Bay Shore, was charged with two counts of criminal possession of stolen property in the fifth degree, and one count of unlawful possession of marijuana. Benavides, 20, of Brentwood, was charged with two counts of criminal possession of stolen property in the fifth degree.

Munoz was slated for arraignment in Central Islip Wednesday. Benavides was issued a desk appearance ticket and will be arraigned at a later date.