‘Completely unnerving’: Thief snuck into Boston home while man showered

A South End resident has warned his neighbors to keep their doors locked at all times after an intruder slipped into his home and stole thousands of dollars in valuables in the short time he was taking a shower. The incident, which was captured on a home security camera, has added to growing anxiety among residents of the historic Boston neighborhood.

Slipping In Unnoticed

The victim, Chris Coveney, was at his residence on East Concord Street on a Tuesday afternoon around 5:20 p.m. Believing he was secure, Coveney went to take a shower, unaware that he had left the garden-level entryway door unlocked. Within minutes, a female suspect was caught on a Ring doorbell camera casually opening the door and entering the home.

The suspect navigated the home quickly, targeting a guest bedroom dresser. She spent less than two minutes inside the property before exiting the front door. It wasn't until Coveney finished his shower and went into the bedroom that he realized someone had violated his home, noticing that several valuable watches were missing from their cases.

“It is completely unnerving to look at the security footage and realize someone was walking around my home while I was just feet away in the shower,” Coveney said. “You think you're safe in the middle of the day, but it only takes a moment of forgetfulness.”

A Neighborhood Under Pressure

Local police are investigating the incident as part of a recent spike in opportunistic crimes in the South End. According to community groups, this was the third daring residential break-in reported within a span of just a few days. Many residents have pointed to the ongoing humanitarian and substance abuse crisis at the nearby Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard intersection (“Mass and Cass”), claiming that the spillover from the area has led to an increase in property crime, loitering, and thefts in the surrounding residential streets.

Boston Police detectives are reviewing the surveillance footage in an attempt to identify the female suspect, who appeared to target the home specifically for a quick theft. Neighbors have been urged to double-check their door locks and secure all ground-level entryways, even when they are inside their homes.