Elkhorn man mistakenly identifies his neighbors as thieves online, posts apology

Omaha, Neb. (WOWT) - An Elkhorn man is eating a big piece of humble pie this holiday season.

While out of town, Franc Harwart’s Ring camera captured someone taking newly delivered packages off his front porch. He assumed they were thieves and posted the pictures online, asking for help identifying them.

Most people 6 News showed the pictures to came to the same conclusion.

“I would think that he’s taking my packages,” said Kennedi Grant from Oklahoma.

“It looks like somebody is taking my boxes, you know what I mean,” said Maeceo Davis from Omaha.

However, it turns out Harwart didn’t get his facts straight.

A few hours later, neighbors who knew he was out of town contacted him. They told them they were on their way to church when they saw the packages being delivered. They didn’t want to be late to church, so they asked a family member to pick up the packages for safekeeping. Harwart didn’t know that person.

After learning the truth, not only did Harwart delete the post, but he also posted an apology.

This time, he titled the post “Christmas Good Samaritans,” instead of “Christmas Porch Thieves.”

Lessons learned from this story are as different as the people 6 News talked to.

“Think about what you’re posting before you post it,” Michael Albracht of Omaha said.

“Experience life because what you see on the internet may not be what it is actually in real life,” Lamar Bush of Omaha said.

Harwart learned something else.

He noted that his angry post received only a few responses, but his apology received hundreds of responses.

“I think the moral of the story for me is, people are responding to good things, and that gives you hope. That gives you hope,” Harwart said.

To pay it forward, Harwart adopted a family for Christmas through the Salvation Army. He says his employer, Apple, matched his donation.

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