Sheriff blasts Amazon for not aiding investigation into one of its drivers

Police say e-commerce giant told them to get a subpoena if they wanted help in theft case
The Polk County Sheriff's Office in Florida said it caught an Amazon driver stealing a customer's package but got no help from the company during its investigation.

Credit: Paul Sakuma

Credit: Paul Sakuma

The Polk County Sheriff's Office in Florida said it caught an Amazon driver stealing a customer's package but got no help from the company during its investigation.

A sheriff's office in Florida said it caught an Amazon driver stealing a customer's package but got no help from the company during its investigation.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office said Thursday in a statement that it had arrested 27-year-old Jose Campos after detectives tracked down the vehicle he was using from homeowners' association video and video from the Davenport, Florida, residence where the package was stolen.

Detectives had initially contacted Amazon at its logistics center in person, but they were told they needed a subpoena before the company would help them, according to the sheriff's office.

A loss prevention manager told detectives Amazon would not cooperate with law enforcement and identify the driver unless the sheriff’s office served a subpoena for its records at  its corporate headquarters in Delaware, according to the statement from the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

"I'm not surprised by much anymore, but this lack of cooperation from Amazon floors me ... This is just irresponsible on their part."  — Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd

"I’m not surprised by much anymore, but this lack of cooperation from Amazon floors me," said Sheriff Grady Judd. “This is just irresponsible on their part.”

In a statement, Amazon said, “We work regularly and closely with law enforcement across the country and are working to understand what occurred here, to make it right and to reach out to Polk County Sheriff's Office to apologize.”

There were no online court records for Campos, so it was unknown if he had an attorney. He is facing charges of petit theft and burglary of an unoccupied dwelling. He was released on bail.

Surveillance video from the house showed Campos walking up to the house, taking a confirmation photo of the package and then taking the package, detectives said.