PHOENIX — Phoenix police are investigating a DoorDash delivery driver who was caught on camera masturbating at the front door of a customer he had just delivered food to.
Now, the customer it happened to is sharing her story hoping to alert others in the Valley.
'Disgusted, violated, just uncomfortable.'
The incident happened in the early morning hours of Saturday, April 27, at a Phoenix apartment complex.
Lily Siphengphone had got off work from her restaurant industry job and decided to order a late dinner before going to sleep.
“It just happened to be one night where I was like, 'I don't want to make food,'" Siphengphone said. “I had DoorDash deliver my food.”
The events of the night were captured on her neighbor's Ring doorbell camera. The DoorDash employee drops off her food at 2:09 a.m. at the front door of her apartment. At first, nothing appears to be out of the ordinary. You can see footage of the drop-off here:
Then, at 2:11 a.m., Siphengphone grabs her food from her front doorstep and glances down the hallway to see the DoorDash employee still there.
“He was walking across, but his eyes were like locked sideways to me and I was like that's weird," she said. "So I locked both locks to my door.”
She went to sleep, never expecting the news she would get the next morning.
“I got a message from my neighbor across the hall that has the Ring camera. And he told me, 'Hey, this is what happened.' And he was just masturbating in front of my door after me getting my food. Five minutes later," Siphengphone said.
The video shows at 2:16 a.m., the DoorDash worker walked back to her front door from the opposite direction of which he left, pulled up images on his phone, and masturbated.
“Disgusted, violated, just uncomfortable, just because he knows exactly where I live and how to get into my building," Siphengphone said.
Siphengphone, scared for her safety, immediately notified DoorDash and Phoenix PD.
DoorDash says driver is now removed, offers $15 credit
She provided 12News with the initial response she got from DoorDash which said, "I want to assure you that we have investigated this incident and taken appropriate action by removing this dasher from receiving your future orders."
“They apologized that had happened to me and said that he was removed from any of my future orders," Siphengphone said.
“Just yours?” asked 12News reporter Bianca Buono.
“Just mine," she replied.
A DoorDash spokesperson told 12News Friday that was a miscommunication and said he was deactivated right away.
Days later, Siphengphone received an updated response from DoorDash saying the delivery driver was removed from the platform and offered her a refund for her order and a $15 credit.
“They had apologized that I went through that after seeing the video on social media and now that he is completely banned on DoorDash," Siphengphone said. "They made sure that I sent them the videos of what happened in case he fights his deactivation.”
Phoenix PD actively investigating incident
As for Phoenix PD, a public information officer provided this statement:
Video was captured of the incident and collected as evidence. A report was authored and has been forwarded to investigators. Detectives are working to establish the appropriate crime that was committed along with identifying the person responsible for that offense. This remains an active investigation and at this time no arrests have been made.
“Situations like that could get worse for someone," Siphengphone said. "Had he just been standing at my front door waiting for me to get my food and just push me into my apartment? Things could have gotten worse."
Siphengphone said she is thankful she is okay, but believes the man's brazenness is an indication this was not his first time doing something like this.
She hopes an arrest is made soon.
“Hold him accountable for what he did," Siphengphone said.
DoorDash's issued this full statement to 12News:
This individual’s behavior is outrageous and unacceptable, and they have been permanently removed from our platform. We have reached out directly to the customer to support however we can. Negative incidents like this one are extremely rare – the vast majority of Dashers follow the rules, do the right thing, and aim to provide a quality experience for consumers.”
DoorDash added every driver has to undergo a criminal background check and motor vehicle check if they are using a car to make deliveries.
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