Woman suspected of stealing package off Nipomo porch arrested in Arroyo Grande

UPDATE, 11 p.m.: Sheriff’s deputies have arrested an Arroyo Grande woman suspected of stealing a package from the front porch of a home in Nipomo.

Monica Menchaca, 36, was taken into custody after an anonymous caller contacted the Sheriff’s Office on Monday evening and alerted deputies to the location of the suspect’s car in the 800 block of Sheridan Avenue in Arroyo Grande.

Menchaca was booked into County Jail on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance and a probation violation.

The investigation is continuing to try and identify other possible theft victims and to recover any stolen property.

Original story: A Nipomo man captured a woman stealing a package from his doorstep on his home security camera Nov. 8, and now he’s asking for the public’s help to identify her.

Kevin Beck said the theft happened about 4:45 p.m. on Election Day when nobody was at home. He had been expecting the package, a toy Lego set for his 2-year-old son’s birthday that he ordered from Amazon.com.

A couple of days later, Beck confirmed with Amazon that the package had arrived, but it was nowhere to be found.

Beck reviewed his home security video footage and discovered a woman he didn’t know walking up to his doorstep, picking up the package and walking away. The video then shows her placing the package in a white SUV and driving away.

She’s wearing blue jeans and a black sweatshirt with a logo representing the state of California.

“The video shows the female coming up and grabbing the package,” Beck said. “I don’t know who she is. I’m hoping the community keeps sharing her image and she comes forward. It’s unfortunate that someone took something, let alone a kid’s birthday present.”

Beck said that he has reported the crime to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office but hadn’t received word of any arrest or identification.

The Sheriff’s Office didn’t immediately respond to a Tribune inquiry on whether a suspect has been identified.

Beck has posted numerous photos of the woman on social media in hopes of getting the word out.

He said Amazon has sent a new package with the toy set without any additional charge.

This story was originally published November 14, 2016 at 5:44 PM with the headline "Woman suspected of stealing package off Nipomo porch arrested in Arroyo Grande."