A Coral Gables resident was caught in a harrowing ordeal as a man posing as a DoorDash delivery driver allegedly attempted to break into her home. According to Local 10 News, the suspect, described as possibly Hispanic and wearing a white shirt, was captured on home surveillance video last Thursday at around 9 p.m. near the 200 block of Florida Avenue.
The homeowner, identified only as Melissa, first noticed the man when he appeared outside her residence, kneeling in her yard, and without any visible delivery items such as a pizza box. Speaking through her doorbell camera, she was told by the individual that he was there to deliver pizza. Melissa told Local 10 News, ”He’s peeping in the glass. He is stepping past the no trespassing sign. He’s in the backyard. At no point, if there was ever any intent to deliver anything, he had no reason to go into my backyard.”
After the initial encounter and refusing to open the door, the man left but returned approximately eight minutes later, this time becoming more invasive. He was seen trying to peer through her front door and eventually went around to her backyard, despite the property marked with a "no trespassing" sign. Melissa explained to CBS News Miami, "At this point he is going into my backyard and past the no trespassing sign on my property and I am telling this to the operator. He was trespassing. At no point would a delivery man go into your backyard, especially after I told him I did not place any orders."
Furthermore, during the disturbing incident, Melissa heard the suspect attempting to jiggle her back door. "I have not slept in my house since Thursday night so I am hoping that someone out there can identify him. He has two tattoos on his arms and I could make out the letters, the cross letters of S and H and L and Y," she told CBS News Miami. The man had two tattoos on his arms, with crosses of letters that Melissa could make out as S, H, L, and Y. She also suspects that the would-be intruder may have tampered with her mail.
Police have since been notified and are currently investigating the incident, while Melissa has temporarily relocated due to concerns for her safety. The Coral Gables police are asking for assistance in identifying the suspect. So far, DoorDash has not commented on the incident, and it's unclear if there have been other homes targeted by the suspect.
