About a month ago, Riverbank residents caught on a security video a woman stealing a package that had just been delivered to their front porch.

The residents turned over the video, and Detective Jon Gingerich posted it on the Riverbank Police Services’ online site. He also distributed it to the media, including modbee.com. Then Facebook users began sharing it and, well, you can pretty much guess what followed.

A few days later, the thief returned the package. Questions asked, but no charges filed. What caused this sudden change of heart?

“People who recognized her blew it up,” he said. “She got phone calls from somebody she knows.”

The comments left on the Facebook pages were absolutely brutal, shaming her in just about every way possible. Gingerich wouldn’t release her name because she won’t be prosecuted. But he said he’s had several discussions with her since – she pleaded to have the video taken down from the various sites – and he thinks she learned a valuable lesson:

Pilfer packages from porches, and expect no pity from the public. And also know that you soon could become an online celebrity in a very bad way. Read more