Police have released shocking footage showing a small child being directed to steal parcels from a front porch.

“Watch as this young girl, no older than eight, runs into a yard, looks back to get directions, then steals a package from a porch. Who uses a child in this manner?,” a Facebook post reads.

The Harford County Sheriff’s Office posted the CCTV footage of the incident in Bel Air, Md., to its Facebook page.

“We always warn you about package Grinches this time of year, but it’s hard to believe that a Grinch decided to use Cindy Lou Who this year to steal packages,” Harford County Sheriff’s Office wrote on Facebook.

Police issued a warning to residents to report any suspicious activity and to get packages delivered to a secure location.

The Grinch and Cindy Lou Who are fictional characters in Dr. Seuss’ book “How The Grinch Stole Christmas.”

Porch Package Theft

We always warn you about package Grinches this time of year, but it’s hard to believe that a Grinch decided to use Cindy Lou Who this year to steal packages! Watch as this young girl, no older than 8, runs into a yard, looks back to get directions, then steals a package from a porch! Who uses a child in this manner?! Please be aware of your surroundings, look for suspicious activity in your neighborhood, and have packages delivered to a safe and secure location if you can! Remember, if you see something suspicious, call us! This incident happened on November 30 around noon in the 400 block of Inez Court in Bel Air. If you saw something suspicious around that time frame please call Deputy Matthew Turner at 410-612-1717.

Posted by Harford County Sheriff's Office on Thursday, 6 December 2018