Canvasser caught on camera stealing package from Marana porch
Canvasser steals package in Marana
A viral doorbell video shows a political canvasser taking a package from a porch in Gladden Farms. Marana police are investigating the Oct. 14 theft. FOX 10's Taylor Wirtz reports.
MARANA, Ariz. - A doorbell video showing a political canvasser stealing a package from a front porch is going viral online. Social media posts are pinning the blame straight on Governor Katie Hobbs' campaign.
What they're saying:
The advocacy group LUCHA confirmed that the woman caught on video was actually one of their seasonal canvassers, not a worker for Governor Katie Hobbs or her campaign committee.
Surveillance video shows the woman dropping off a pro-Hobbs flier on the door of a Marana home. She then spots a package on the porch, picks it up, and walks away. Marana police confirm they are investigating the Oct. 14 incident that happened in Gladden Farms, which is about 20 minutes outside of Tucson.
The video has since gone viral on social media, with gubernatorial candidate Rep. Andy Biggs reposting it and political organizers even texting it out to voters, claiming the woman worked for Hobbs.
Marana police are looking into an Oct. 14 package theft in Gladden Farms. A woman appearing to be the homeowner posted the video on Facebook.
The homeowner, Julie, released a statement on what happened.
"I honestly never expected this situation to receive this much attention. When I originally shared the video, my intention was simply to alert my community in Gladden Farms and encourage them to keep an eye out for suspicious activity. I love our neighborhood, and after discovering what had happened at my home, I didn’t want the same thing to happen to someone else.
This was never about politics for me. When I saw the literature the individual was distributing, I contacted LUCHA simply to determine whether she was actually affiliated with their organization and to see if they could help identify who had been at my home. I was looking for answers about the individual involved, not making a political statement.
LUCHA responded to me directly, confirmed that the individual captured in the video had been employed by their organization and informed me that she is no longer employed with them. They also stated that they are willing to cooperate with law enforcement. I appreciate their prompt response and the seriousness with which they addressed my concerns.
A report has been filed with the Marana Police Department, and at this point I am allowing law enforcement to handle the matter. My hope is simply that people remember to watch out for one another."
Dig deeper:
But Hobbs’ campaign pushed back, saying the canvasser is not associated with them, and pointed out that even though the literature was pro-Hobbs, the flyer was distributed by the advocacy group LUCHA. In a statement to Fox 10, LUCHA condemned the behavior:
"We were shocked and outraged by the actions of an individual canvasser. We unequivocally condemn this behavior. It is completely unacceptable and does not reflect our values or the integrity of the organizers and canvassers who serve our communities every day. The seasonal canvasser in the video is no longer employed by the organization. We are communicating with the home owner and have sincerely apologized to the affected community member."
What's next:
A woman appearing to be the homeowner posted the video on Facebook, saying she had filed a police report. Fox 10 has reached out to her. Marana police say the investigation is ongoing.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from social media posts; Marana police; the Katie Hobbs campaign; the advocacy group LUCHA; and a woman appearing to be the homeowner.