A Milpitas homeowner has spoken out after thieves disguised as an Amazon delivery driver cased her house and returned with accomplices to steal $70,000 in valuables, including irreplaceable family heirlooms.
Donna Kato, whose residence sits in the Silicon Valley city of Milpitas, California, was away when a man wearing delivery-style apparel approached her front door carrying a package and knocked repeatedly, doorbell camera footage shows. Nobody answered, and roughly half an hour later a Chevrolet Cruze pulled to the curb with two additional men inside, according to police and surveillance recordings.
The suspects then used a side gate to reach the backyard, shattered a sliding glass door, and entered the residence, Kato told KTVU. Once inside, they disabled her alarm system and took down all her cameras, she said.
“This impostor Amazon person was banging at my door, trying to determine if anyone was home,” Kato told the outlet.
The crew’s primary target was an unbolted safe containing Kato’s late mother’s diamond, emerald and gold necklace and wedding ring. She also lost a watch and critical documents including birth certificates and a marriage license.
“I kept all my valuables there. My mother’s heirloom jewelry, which is irreplaceable, that’s the most important part to me,” Kato told KTVU.
Surveillance footage captured the criminals directing the Chevrolet to reverse onto the home’s driveway, then struggling to drag the heavy safe across the ground toward the vehicle. The same car had been recorded by a license plate reader entering Milpitas two hours before the burglary and leaving minutes after it concluded, according to a police report.
“It’s upsetting beyond words. It’s very emotional,” Kato said of the violation.
Marc Hinch, a private investigator Kato hired, told ABC7 the method points to organized criminal activity rather than opportunistic theft. “It happens all over the state. Organized crews are really good at identifying homes that doesn’t look like anyone is there and they kind of know the windows of time to strike,” Hinch said.
Hinch also indicated to KTVU that there are likely additional victims of similar schemes in the region.
Amazon spokesperson Louie Tran said the company is “looking into this to see if there were any drivers around the area during the incident.” The company noted that genuine delivery personnel do not knock on doors unless specifically arranged by the customer. “Unfortunately, there are bad actors who wear lookalike apparel to commit crime,” the company said. “We encourage anyone who’s been victim of a crime to report to the police.”
The burglary tactic follows a pattern seen across California in which criminals exploit the ubiquity of Amazon-branded clothing and delivery vehicles to approach residences without immediate suspicion. The initial knock serves as an occupancy check, with crews returning quickly once the house is confirmed empty.
Milpitas police continue to investigate the break-in and are working to identify the suspects captured on camera and through the license plate reader data.
Kato’s case has drawn attention to the vulnerability of residential security systems, which experienced burglars can locate and disable once inside a property. The loss of documents alongside jewelry complicates recovery efforts, as papers lack serial numbers or tracking capabilities.