What do I do with this parcel?

[Whattodowithamysteryparcel]

I have received a very odd parcel earlier and I’m hoping someone can tell me what I’m supposed to do with it, as I’ve tried everything!

I received a special delivery parcel today, I was expecting the delivery, the postman commented that the box was damaged when he asked me to sign for it, there was a large hole at the base and the contents were visible.

I’ve opened the parcel ( it was from a individual not a business) the items I were expecting were inside, undamaged.

I also found a mystery item in the box, it is covered in white padded paper and wrapped in black electrical tape, it is also very heavy, it looks like it has a plug?
There are no labels of any kind on the item
it measures about 8” x3”

I checked with the sender and they haven’t put the item in by mistake.

The label on the box and the senders receipt shows that the weight when posted was .854kg

I’ve weighed the box with the mystery item and it is just under 2kg

I presume that this item has been forced into my box at some point after posting?

I’ve tried calling Royal Mail to ask what to do with it, their wait time is over an hour and I’m supposed to be working, I’ve tried emailing but there is a 3 day wait for replies.

Its a very suspicious looking parcel, I’ve called 101 to cover myself and they weren’t very interested

The same postman just came back with non special delivery post, I explained the issue to him and he said I can either keep it or throw it away but he refused to take it with him because he didn’t know what it was!

What do I do with it?

It is currently sat in my kitchen.

Have you opened it? I'm intrigued as to what it is so I'd of opened it by now 🤣

Not opened it, I’m not sure if I should as it doesn’t belong to me but no one seams to want anything to do with it so maybe I should?

I would definitely open it.

Open it immediately and report back! 👀

Come on OP, you know you're not going to get away with not disclosing the identity of the mystery item on here

Are you going to tell us now, or in 600 posts time?

I'm guessing it's an electrical connector for something like a laptop and there's someone else out there with a laptop and no way of plugging it in.

But it seems that all the parcel companies need to take more care with the stuff they're delivering. I've just had a parcel sent by Evri that went into a black hole for 5 days, then they emailed me to say matter of factly that it had been 'damaged beyond repair' and I should contact the sender. Thankfully the contents were replaceable, because I'd have been mighty pissed off it had been something that was a one off, or had gone out of stock.

I’d have opened as a matter of course, any misgivings would be quickly silenced because ‘it’s in my property so now mine’.

Pic of the mystery parcel, I do want to open it but I’m a bit worried about what’s inside?😂
It doesn’t belong to me, I know you aren’t supposed to open post that isn’t yours but I have no idea what to do with it and no one seams to want it

technically you have opened it already and it was addressed to you

open it

Open it!

I reckon several parcels got damaged at the same time, and workers have stuffed the loose articles into one or other of the damaged boxes. So somebody else has probably had a delivery with something missing because the postal worker shoved it into your box instead of the right one.

I really want to know what it is now

I’ve opened it, not a suspicious at it first looked, it’s a battery charger. I agree with a pp it has probably been put back into the wrong box.
What do I do with it now?
Royal mail wont take it back

Put it in a council electrical recycling point

https://www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwjqWzBhAqEiwAQmtgT4mx-MYuP7LSSq57ZhX9mrrA4XLAFkzzRxMI_VIzLof3gJeqBoZVTxoCLK4QAvD_BwE

That's a myth. You're not allowed to open post that isn't addressed to you if you intend to do something dodgy (ie steal a bank card). But opening post that has been delivered to your address purely to see what it is/find a way of getting it to the correct owner is completely fine.

And this was addressed to you. The contents of the box are addressed to you, which you've opened.

(Interestingly i received a package today which had clearly been ripped open. It was a bottle of medicine - I received just the empty, now flattened, box inside a torn open jiffy bag, inside a royal mail "sorry this appears damaged" bag. Its obvious someone has stolen the contents. And presumably someone at royal mail! Maybe you've got my missing medicine.. 😂)

Take it to a Charity Shop or an Upcycle shop.

Maybe it has drugs inside?!

Not me thinking it's a bomb. Don't plug it in and try to turn it on 😬

Bin it, surely?

That did cross my mind😂

Sadly I don’t have your missing medicine but maybe we can start a Royal Mail lost and found site, there seams to be a lot of people missing items 😂

I thought that as well!

Just bin it

Bin it! What a waste of resources. Take it to a charity shop at least.

That’s that I’m thinking now, I tried to resolve the problem but no one including the postman who passed it to me would take it, I can’t do anything else, I do feel sorry for whoever posted it originally as they will never know what happened to it.

Could it be another item from your seller that got accidentally put in your parcel? I would ask them first. Sell it on Ebay?

Why? Charity shops won't want unidentified electronic equipment on the off chance that someone needs a replacement charger and decides to look in that particular charity shop to buy one, which is unlikely.

Chances are they'll have to pay to dispose of it, either straight away, or after it has cluttered up one of their shops for a few months.

Okay. Fair point but surely offer it on free cycle or something?