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.

A photo taken by the exact same courier at the exact same time that they had a parcel scheduled to be delivered to the (rightful) neighbour... who mysteriously didn't receive her parcel at the scheduled time??

This is nuts though. The police damn well should act. I'd post the photo on your local Facebook group asking does anyone recognise the door. Shame them into handing it over.

It's difficult, as the modern culture or parcel delivery is such that they throw it at you (or just leave it outside your door) and dash away to deliver the other 632 parcels that they have for that day.

It would be so much better all around if we could easily unpack parcels at the door and verify safe receipt in good condition, but I think those days are never coming back.

Even if we did do that, you can easily see if a book is bashed in or a parcel of food has come open or is badly dented; but anything electronic could look OK but be faulty and not work when switched on.

I hate the ones where they ask you to sign to confirm that the goods inside your unopened brown box have been received in good condition. I always write 'goods received but not yet examined' - no way I'm going to help them to fob me off in case of dispute.

It's the drama (Mick) - they just love it!

Don’t panic curry’s/ delivery contractor will follow up with neighbour

id print picture off write in back curry’s and police notified and put it through there door

If you haven't already, ask the police for a crime reference number. Even if they do nothing and close the case instantly, you at least have a reference number to prove you've reported it as stolen.

I agree with others - print out the photo of them receiving it. Add a covering note saying:

"Hello neighbour, Please see this clear photo of you receiving my parcel on X day. As well as reporting this to the retailer and delivery company, I can confirm that I have also reported this as theft with the police. I am further looking into the process of raising a Small Claims Court case against you personally.

I would, however, prefer to resolve this amicably, so would be happy to cease any further action in exchange for my parcel being returned to me. If you don't want to see me in person, please leave the parcel XXX."

Realistically this is on Currys to resolve, but I'd be wanting to put the fear of god into the thieving bastard neighbour in the meantime.

We have people on our next door neighbour website post photos of the delivery saying my delivery has been delivered here - does anyone know where this is? I would rather innocently mention you've had your ipad delivered to the photos house does anyone know where that is...? might shame them to sort out

She didnt.

Wait, I've just properly comprehended: so the delivery person took a photo of the parcel being handed to them, at their door, and they still thought they could get away with it by just denying the blatant evidence?

I'd understand if it had just been left on their door step in error and they'd grabbed their chance - this has happened to our parcels before, but thankfully, our close neighbours are honest.

But why on earth do they think that couriers take photos of the parcel being handed over if not to prevent opportunistic thefts/lying like they're doing?!

To be honest, I don't think I'd want it now, even if they were shamed/convinced to hand it back. I'm guessing they've already opened it and have been using it - otherwise why steal it? - so it's already second hand; and even if not, they could deliberately damage it subtly/internally in a way that would only become truly apparent to you later. For all you know, they could make a note of the IMEI and then later report it stolen from them, putting you under suspicion of being thieves.

There is a small chance the neighbour is telling the truth.

Last year a courier shoved a package in my hand and took a photo. When I looked at the label I said "this isn't for me. It's for the house at the top of the street". Courier apologised and took the parcel back. Courier then never delivered the parcel to the intended recipient.

Intended recipient visited me at my house asking for the parcel, but I didn't have it. He now thinks I'm a thief.

There are some bloody low life people around.

a) phone the police again and ask why they aren't investigating a theft.

b) speak to Curry's and explain situation and ask when to expect your replacement item. Email the CEO daily.
c) phone the delivery service, explain what's happened and ask for the delivery driver to go to the neighbours and retrieve item. Do this daily if needed too.
d) knock on the neighbours door again and ask for the item. If they refuse again, post a letter through their door telling them you have photographic evidence of them receiving the item and you will be invoking a small claim through the courts
e) write up a 'word' document, print and post through all your other neighbours letter boxes advising them to avoid using neighbours at No XXX for alternative parcel deliveries (leave your neighbours to wonder why)

You have to make yourself a total nuisance to all parties involved. A real PITA. No you shouldn't have to make daily phone calls or make daily emails but in today's shitty world, with so many shitty fucking people in it, you have to.

I hope you get a result.

She wasn't at work. They gave her a delivery time slot and then delivered it at a different time. Also, if someone hasn't designated either a safe place to leave the item or a neighbour that will accept the package, they should take it away and deliver it on another day.

Someone who doesn’t have to bottle to refuse to take in a parcel for a neighbour is unlikely to have to bottle refuse to hand it over.

Surprised the police no longer consider theft a criminal offence. That must make life easier for shoplifters 😂

It's always especially annoying when delivery people come on a day/at a time well outside the advised slot, with no explanation or apology - and then get really irked when you aren't instantly ready for and expecting them!

I spoke to the police again, they asked me if id reported it to Currys and i told them yes I had and Currys had put in for an investigation with dpd, so they've said to wait to find out the outcome of that 😒 very frustrating. She also asked me for the tracking info and looked up the photo herself and said yes she could see my name on the parcel but the door and surrounding features looked like the rest of my street, so I presume she also looked on street maps. My partner is away until Friday morning, but I think he's going to go round and demand it back. I feel sick with confrontation.

That's BS from Curry's.

It’s not on you to wait for an investigation either the courier. YOUR contract is with Curry's. Curry's has a contract with the courier.

Tell Curry's its basic privity of contract law. They haven't upheld their contract with you and what they do with their contract with DPD is theirs. You have no enforcement rights with DPD. So, stuff their investigation. They fix your contract NOW.

Lawyer speaking.

Excuse typos. This kind of shit just pisses me off. They need to teach consumer rights and law in schools and not titration.

I read that as OP relaying what the police officer said to her as opposed to Curry’s, ie the police saying to wait until the outcome of the curry’s investigation.

You don't have to do anything. It's on Curry's to ensure that it is delivered to you, end of story. If this one can't be delivered they either must refund you or deliver a replacement.

Technically, nothing has been stolen from you because you never received it. If the neighbour has stolen it, they've stolen it from Curry's.

It's up to Curry's to provide you the item you've bought. It's up to Curry's to argue it out with DPD and the police if a crime has been committed.

Call the police again and kick the frak off until they do something. Useless donut eating gits won't do anything without being shouted at

Yes, absolutely this.

Suppose I owed £20 to a friend and I gave it to one of their neighbours and asked them to pass it on, but instead they just nicked it and denied everything...

Would that be my problem for not safely getting the money to the person to whom I owed it, and thus I would still owe it and need to repay it properly; or would it be their problem because I'd chosen a risky short-cut without them requesting or even knowing about it?

That's not on by the police. Its theft by finding. Make a complaint to the police asap

Surely not everyone has the same door!

I’d leave it there tbh - what if they’ve opened or used it and then your partner managed to get it back - you then have a used item on your hands

Given the polices reaction, I'd email them asking for confirmation that you've correctly understood the situation, that they have had a report of theft, there is a suspect and they refuse to investigate, and copy in Currys, the Police and Crime Commissioner, your local MP and the Minister for the Home Office.

ETA - Ita bot about the ipad, its about a lack of willing to investigate theft.