SAN DIEGO -- A Clairemont man’s crusade to track down a package thief may have netted a suspect.
Earlier this month, an overdue package sent Nick Fennel to his computer to check his surveillance cameras.
“Frustration; he violated my space and my house,” Fennel said.
On the video, he spotted a man, sporting black shoes and red laces, grabbing the package from outside his Clairemont home and walking away.
“He took it like it was his,” Fennel said.
The package contained a $10 coffee mug, a gift for a holiday work party.
“Next time, it might be someone's medication, jewelry, something important,” Fennel said.
He put the video on YouTube and shared it on social media and NextDoor.com. He also created a website dedicated to catching the thief.
“I wanted to stop this guy from doing it to other people because I'm sure he would have, and I’m sure he’s done it to others in the past.”
Four days later, Fennel was in his kitchen when he saw a cyclist who had a familiar face and shoes. Fennel raced out to his front doorstep and started talking to the man. In the surveillance video, you can see him motioning to the man, who rides over.
“My heart started going a little bit because I knew I had the guy,” Fennel said.
Fennel says he showed the man his previous video of the theft.
“He completely denied it, he said it wasn’t him.”
Fennel wasn't buying it. He reported it to San Diego police, who had pasted flyers on social media. Days later, Fennel got a call from police.
“They told me they found the guy,” Fennel said.
Sources say police arrested the man Fennel had spoken to on drug charges. They identified him as 50-year-old Daniel Glassford. Detectives named Glassford a person of interest for the package theft.
“It's nice to know that kind of activity has its consequences. You just can't go around stealing mail and expect not to get caught, because you will,” Fennel said.
A San Diego Police spokesperson declined to comment on whether Glassford may be connected to other thefts, citing the ongoing investigation.
