A Washington, D.C. educator said her doctoral graduation regalia was returned to her after a thief snatched it off her porch last week.
Surveillance footage captured the porch pirate taking Dr Leah Carrington-Boney’s package from her home in the city’s Southwest neighborhood on Wednesday, a day before she graduated from George Mason University. She spent roughly $1,000 on the custom cap, gown and other items for the big event.
Carrington-Boney told Fox 5 she was disappointed she couldn’t wear the attire. “I wanted to buy one because the doctoral regalia I have right now actually is my dad’s. I took it when he passed,” she told the outlet. “And then, you know, my sister got her doctorate – and so it’s just kind of like a legacy.”
Police have not identified the suspect and a robbery investigation is ongoing.
Carrington-Boney did not want to let the incident ruin her graduation day.
“It’s just kind of like, I guess I just move on and kind of bask in what brought me here,” she told the outlet outside of the event.
On Monday, the outlet reported Carrington-Boney’s package was returned to her. The graduate contacted Fox 5 over the weekend to confirm the package had been left on her back porch. She thinks the outlet’s coverage helped convince the thief to return the items.