Doorstep camera shows the moment a cruel thief takes off with children’s Christmas presents

A door camera has captured the moment a family's Christmas presents were stolen by a thief in broad daylight.

Footage shows a woman in a white T-shirt, black trousers, dark sunglasses and cap walking casually to the family's front door in Mulgrave, in Melbourne's south-east, on Monday afternoon.

She is seen picking up two large boxes of toys that were on the sidewalk and meant for the children who live there.

The gifts included hundreds of dollars worth of items, including costumes.

Home resident Michelle said the family ordered the gifts in advance so her children could open them on Christmas Day.

“We are two very busy people at home and we don't have the time or energy to go to the shops,” she said 7 News.

Michelle urged the thief to think about what she did and how her actions affect others.

“If we were a family that was really struggling, some people would have to go without. It's not fun,” she said.

The theft is now being investigated by Victoria Police.

Ny Breaking Australia has contacted Victoria Police for comment.

According to comparison site Finder, one in five Aussies have reported having an order stolen in the past year.

Customers have been urged to use a parcel container to keep their deliveries safe and ensure their identity is verified by the company delivering their items.

It is also advisable to track deliveries online.

Footage shows a woman in a white T-shirt, black trousers, dark sunglasses and cap walking casually to the family's front door in Mulgrave, in Melbourne's south-east, on Monday afternoon.