Neighbour stealing parcel

[Littlesandjoolz]

So basically I ordered an IPad Air for my daughters birthday from Currys. It was meant to be delivered yesterday, but they left a card saying it was delivered to the nieghbour next door but one. I went round and asked about it and they denied all knowledge. I believed them as they have always been pretty good neighbours and taken in parcels for me previously.

I bumped into a different neighbour and mentioned how I was panicking that I'd missed the parcel and the courier was messing me around when the neighbour said they had seen the courier knock at mine and then take the parcel to the other neighbours and they did take it in! I then went on the tracking details on the website and theres a photo of it clearly being handed to the neighbour. I went back round and the neighbour slammed the door in my face.

I've called the police and they've noted it but basically said they aren't going to do anything and aren't even prepared to come and talk to the neighbohr. What can I do? Will curries send a replacement as I haven't had the iPad? or can they at least block the iPad that the neighbour has stolen? Its £600 and is a lot to lose.

I would put a note through the neighbours door with a printed out photo of the delivery, and saying it will be sent to the police that evening unless they come and drop it back round. I’d also ring the police and say you I’ve evidence and you’d like them to assist you going to get it back .

I'd print off the proof and post it through the letterbox saying if she doesn't hand it over then you'll see her in court.

@Littlesandjoolz FYI don’t expect the DPD investigation to be quick. I waited three months and I was chasing daily 😂

Agree with posting the photo of them taking the delivery and a sharpie note saying you are calling the police.

Photograph their front door now (incase the paint it or something mad)

Chase up with the police. Complain if they do nothing. It's a pretty easy win for them so confused about the delay.

I wasn't at work. I wasn't given an up to date delivery time, it originally said they would attempt delivery between 11am and 1pm and actually delivered it at 8.45am. Do you actually have any helpful advice or are you just here to be rude?

Raise a small claims court claim, they will shit their load when the papers come .you have proof, they'll pay the fees and some and the sheer humiliation too.
go for it !

Can it be ‘blocked’ remotely? If Currys have the serial number etc?

Thank you, I'm looking into it. I was trying to speak to someone on chat from Currys about having it blocked or locked or whatever the term is, but I don't think its possible. So they now have an early Christmas present at my expense.

“Then don't order expensive items to be delivered when you're at work”

Wow, @TossedSaladandSE, nothing like a nice bit of victim blaming!

What a rotten way for your neighbour to behave. I've noticed that delivery options sometimes include an option for eg 'leave it with any neighbour except no 24' and this is obviously why.

Not sure if it's been mentioned already but I'd you don't get any joy with Currys, raise a dispute with your credit card company if that's what you used to buy it.

At the end of the day it wasn't delivered to you and you didn't give permission to have it delivered to what may as well be a complete stranger. The contract is between you and Currys and they have not fulfilled their side of the contract.

Hang on. Your contract is with Currys to deliver it to you. They haven't delivered it. It's not up to you to find it, or fund it. It's up to Curry's to replace or refund - there was a very similar thread yesterday where others who seemed to know what they were talking about were v clear on this.

She doesn't need to go to the bother or expense of doubt this. Curry's legally have to replace it.

OP, presumably your neighbour isn’t aware that the police are failing to do anything. So all you need them to think is that the police will. Do you have a road WhatsApp or anything? You could post the photo on there and “innocently” say “my parcel was delivered to this house. Here’s a photo. Does anyone have it? Otherwise I’ve been told by the retailer I have to report it to the police as stolen.” That should shit them up enough that they’ll give it back.

Or if you don’t want to do it publicly (or you don’t have a local WhatsApp group) you could actually post a note to your neighbour saying something like “please can you check again for my parcel because I have received a photo of the drop off to your house and the retailer has told me to report the item as stolen to the police. I’m wondering if perhaps someone at yours did receive it and forgot? I don’t want to waste the police’s time if there’s been a mistake!”

Also, if you just want to go through Currys, I’m sure they will sort it out. But I’d be telling all and sundry about the thieving neighbours at number xx.

The magic phrase is "Consumer Rights Act 2015". Use it in your communications with Curry's.

And fuck the DPD investigation. Your contract is not with them, your contract is with Currys.

I'd still pursue small claims with the neighbours though. They shouldn't be allowed to get away with that when you have definitve proof.

Yes this - "Curry's have told me I'm obliged to report this to the police along with the photo evidence that Curry's have given me of the £600 parcel being handed over. I'm going to do this at midday tomorrow unless someone hands it to me in person. You'll be aware that an item worth £600 is not considered petty theft."

(otherwise they'll put it behind your bin and slink off)

ETA - have realised that I'm not actually saying 'yes this' at all, but 'go in much harder than this'!

And this before small claims.

I’ve ordered iPads and iPhones from Amazon and I was impressed with their process. just before delivery you are sent an email with a code. This code the courier puts into their hand set parcel is only then handed over. Much safer for expensive small items. Perhaps curry’s should learn from this.
My issue with this is that curry’s haven’t delivered and your contract is with them. It should be rectified immediately regardless of who delivered (they delivered to the wrong address) you haven’t received it. If you paid using credit/paypal raise a dispute.
If you want to be petty I would post (local Facebook group etc) a copy of the delivery photo with a few details and asking if anyone recognises the door as delivery notification says it’s your neighbours on blah blah rd but they say they haven’t got it. Can anyone help?

Yes print out the photo. I’d be so angry about this

Well why would you

I wouldn't

You need to phone back to police and complain. This is theft once the neighbour refused to hand it over! And the photo is clear evidence.

Lodge a claim with the method of payment you chose

Contact Curry’s and remind them that they’ve failed to fulfil their contract with you (look it up in CAB - use the template) and that they are responsible as they chose the courier, not yourself and that as such you need your item resent or a refund: anything they say about opening a case with the courier is noise - that’s a them and courier issue, not a you and courier issue. Give them a deadline to either refund or re-send. Tell them that after this you will be forced to escalate the matter

Ask the police again why they aren’t investigating the theft

@TossedSaladandSE you seem so eager to blame Op for the theft, almost as though you are taking pleasure in someone's misfortune.