A woman was caught on a doorbell camera appearing to use lavender plants to conceal her identity as an Amazon parcel was stolen from a bed-bound pensioner’s doorstep.
A small parcel was left hidden behind a bin by a delivery driver in the front doorway of a terraced home in Walthamstow at 5pm on Saturday.
The doorbell footage shows a woman in a pink tracksuit walk over, carrying a tray of lavender plants that conceal her face from view.
She picks up the small brown parcel and quickly makes a getaway, turning around with the saplings and vanishing from view.
The victim, who was in hospital at the time of the parcel theft, told The Independent: “I have literally just got out today. I couldn’t do anything to stop her.
“It wasn’t valuable, it was just a sample of speciality tea bags. But I was looking forward to getting out of hospital and trying them. I was really annoyed but I’m just glad it wasn’t anything expensive.
“I would tell her to grow a conscience. People who do things like that they don’t think of the people they are doing it against. She didn’t know what was in there - it was a lucky dip for her. She has to change her ways.”
The Met confirmed it has been contacted about the theft and was investigating.
A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: “On Saturday, 1 June, police received an allegation of theft after a parcel was reportedly stolen from outside a residential property in Walthamstow, E17. Enquiries are ongoing.”