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Man dons UPS attire, breaks into El Cajon apartment

Man dons UPS attire, breaks into El Cajon apartment
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EL CAJON, Calif. (KGTV) - Video shows a burglar on the move in El Cajon, wearing the attire of a UPS delivery driver.

Sandy Nolasco encountered a swung-open screen door when she arrived at her apartment off Broadway, on Monday evening.

"As soon as I touched the front door, that’s when I noticed it was unlocked, and I knew something was wrong,” said Nolasco.

Inside, items were missing from a closet: brand perfumes and newly bought dishware, along with documents with personal information.

The entry point was an alley behind the apartment, with the intruder likely hopping a metal gate, before zeroing in on two windows.

This bathroom window, since replaced, was shattered. A kitchen window was somehow pried open.

The intruder's exit was captured on Ring video at the front door. A man, a bandana covering his face, was recorded leaving the apartment with Nolasco's duffel bag. He's also donning a UPS vest.

“It was a shock knowing that someone was wearing a UPS vest, and going in and violating my home,” said Nolasco.

Nolasco filed a police report, and contacted UPS, which sent someone Tuesday to talk to Nolasco, as it began its own investigation.

Former El Cajon Police officer and criminal justice professor Kevin LaChapelle says it's not unusual for a criminal to pose as a delivery driver.

“They don't want to arouse any suspicion. They don’t anyone to confront them. So anything they can do to conceal their identity, or make it appear they have a reason to be there, then it doesn't look suspicious,” said Nolasco.

Over the past decade, across the country, we've seen numerous examples of fake delivery drivers, using the uniforms to force their way into homes.

In Chula Vista, police say several men wearing Amazon vests remain at large, linked to a home invasion in May.

Back in El Cajon, Nolasco says the break-in has left her shaken.

“It’s a violation of my mental health and space. I haven’t even been able to sleep in my own home,” said Nolasco.

ABC 10News reached out to UPS for a comment and are waiting to hear back.

El Cajon Police say this is the only report they have received involving a burglar wearing the vest of a delivery driver.

Anyone with information is asked to call El Cajon Police at 619-579-3311 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.