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.

Are you the neighbour @TossedSaladandSE ?

When dealing with thieves like this, it probably doesn't help if parcels have 'Currys' plastered all over them and you can guess from the size and shape that it's probably an expensive device.

If it had come from, say, Amazon, it could have been any old cheap, boring item.

This is all on Curry's, though. You ordered goods to be delivered to your door, for which theyvhave charged you but not fulfilled their obligation. In a decent world, they could indeed leave it with a neighbour and the neighbour would drop it over later/let you know they have it, no issue - but this is the risk that they take and not you.

All you need to do is to tell Curry's that they haven't delivered your order, so give them the option of either delivering it promptly or otherwise refunding your money.

They don't have a single leg to stand on and any loss is theirs, not yours. They can bluster all they want that they DID deliver it to no 28, but you can 'remind' them that you live at no 24, as specified on your order, so your order is still yet to be fulfilled; their separate decision to gift an identical free item to no 28 is absolutely no business or concern of yours.

Surely you realise that, even if you can guarantee that they will deliver on a day when you'll definitely be at home all day, they still might come at the moment when you've gone to the toilet or have gone upstairs for something - and couriers usually don't want to wait at all these days?

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.

@Princessbananahamock this actually doesn't work as well as you think. By putting the code, first of all it tells the delivery guy that it's an expensive item.

Have a read of something like this:
Amazon’s One-Time Passwords Backfire On Customers (forbes.com)
BBC One - The One Show - WATCHDOG – Amazon’s One Time Password

There's lots of people been caught out with it, as a known scam. So they'll get a parcel, give the code, open what they think is a laptop and find a ream of paper or similar. Amazon then say nothing to do with them because the code's been given.
Friend had the situation where they asked for the code, and said they'd then get the parcel, leapt in the van and drove off.

Amazon won't do anything, so you have to report it as stolen, get the bank to reclaim the money and then get demands from Amazon for the money. Only then are they prepared to back down. Took my friend nearly 3 months of stress to sort out. They even had a ring doorbell footage of what happened, and still Amazon denied it.

So if anyone has that; do not give the code until you have unpacked the parcel.

Ok yes the courier should not have delivered to a random neighbour especially as they missed the designated day of delivery and turned up the next day and just handed the item over to a completely different address

Courier is an idiot

Neighbour is a thieving little bastard

I hope OP gets their money back or a new iPad

This. I'd post the photo and give your address

@TossedSaladandSE

You see clearly an ar@ehole . Sanctimonious idiot.

It's an issue for dpd, not you.

Print the photo, post in every neighbours’s door, tell them not to trust them, go round, show them the photo again and demand the item now. Ignore posters who come on to say ‘Poor neighbour, I bet the have an addicted dc, they need the money’. It”s disgusting behaviour.

We've got a mad neighbour who runs out to make sure she always accepts other peoples' parcels, then refuses to answer the door for days, then when you finally trap her, she screams at you for leaving a parcel at her house.

No, at Curry's expense. Check out your rights when it comes to stolen post. CAB and Which? Both have info and free template letters to send Curry's.

f you haven’t heard anything in a week, you can either do a chargeback in your debit or credit card.

however, you threaten curry’s with this first as it ends up costing them more.

Because I didn't and you've just presumed. Now rack off.

We had that once, neighbour would run out to get parcels even when we we're in! Take it into their house and then would go out for the day when we were counting on having said item for a certain activity or need! Some people love to be "helpful"

By law its your goods and should never have been handed over , also DPS or delivery company should have got a signature, that's your proof the neighbour is a theif, it's plausible the delivery company assumed they could be trusted but that's the problem with assumptions.

agree that ultimately it's curry's fault, your contract is with them - you pay for item they deliver it - they have the contract with DPD so they refund you, then if they want to take it up with DPD that's for them to sort.

however I would also suggest complaining to the police. It's an expensive item, you have evidence AND a witness statement that they have stolen it, there is no reason for them not to at least pop round. I'm an ex civilian investigator by the way so not coming at it from an 'all police are useless' OR a 'you've got no understanding of how busy we are,' pov, but that is really shit.

Pop a note round through the neighbour's door saying you've seen evidence it was delivered, and ask politely if they can double check they didn't get it mixed up with something else/someone else in the house didn't take it and forget to tell them (i.e. give them an out even though you don't believe a word of it!). Ask if they can let you know either way by tonight because you've had to raise it with the police to get a refund because it's a high value item, so they've asked you to double check before they take it further.

I had similar situation once where Parcel left with neighbours who don’t like me and they refused to hand it over. I contacted courier who came and knocked and asked for it back and then gave to me. Pathetic

I had a neighbour leave about £80 worth of mis-delivered bulbs on their doorstep intended for me, and I assume either bin them or use them themselves. I simply got a refund from the retailer.

Anyhow your contract is with Curry's. They need to refund you according to the Consumer Rights Act...paypal dispute or credit card dispute is the way to go if they are awkward. DPD is only opening an investigation because they might be held liable by Curry's. DPD has no contract with you.

Why weren’t you in for the delivery?
DPD give plenty of delivery notifications, a one hour slot and you can track how many stops away the driver is.
Silly to miss a valuable delivery.

This really isn't relevant. It doesn't matter why OP wasn't in for the delivery.

I had problems with Curry's during Covid, I ordered a smartwatch & earbuds which didn't turn up, Curry's tried to deny I had ordered them but I had the invoice that came by email. They then told me I had to wait 28 days before I could get a replacement or refund. I bombarded the CEO with emails threatening to go to the press & hey presto my goods were delivered. I swore I will never buy from them again. I now use Argos who are great for deliveries & email you are they are on route telling you when they will arrive & the delivery times are spot on.

I've had a similar situation recently although with Samsung. DPD didn't even knock on my door, and delivered it to the wrong house. I contacted Samsung who opened an investigation and a 'signature dispute'. I was refunded today. Hopefully Curry's does the same and/or replaces it for you.

Keep knocking and shouting, make sure everyone knows what they've done. Also shame them online.

Do you have a street/area whatsapp group?

I'd be posting that pic and shaming them all over it!

Absolute scumbags.

Hope it gets sorted quickly.x.

Curry's are known for fighting every which way to avoid refunds, there is a Facebook page called Curry's where is my refund & they have been on all the consumer pages, this is the CEO's email address for op, this was the only way I got anywhere, they offered me a £50 voucher as compensation & I told them to stick it where the sun doesn't shine. I'd previously spent a lot of money at Curry's but I wouldn't give them another penny. The email address is [email protected]