My son was expecting a parcel on the 14th, containing small items for his business. He’d paid for next day delivery with a large U.K. courier.
At 0720 am that morning our front doorbell camera alerted us to someone on the driveway, via our mobile phones, but the doorbell didn’t actually ring. I was just out of bed and checked my phone. I saw a courier’s large delivery van parked on my driveway, having reversed in. I was obviously expecting the doorbell to ring any second so I hurried through to receive the package.
The bell did not ring. I opened the door to speak to the driver but he was already back in his van and driving away. I looked around outside for the package, but there was nothing to be found. My wife came through and said she had seen the driver walk up to the front door (and the clearly visible doorbell alongside) and post something through the letter box, after taking a photo of it in his hand, in front of the door. It was a card, saying that the package had not been left because a signature was required. Had the driver rung the bell and waited he would have certainly got a signature. I missed him by seconds.
I then reviewed the camera recording. At no time did the driver carry a package to the door. It appears that he got out of his van with the card already written then had gone straight to post it without ringing the doorbell. Had he got out of the van with a package the camera would have recorded it as “Package detected”, which it cleverly does…even if you walk past it with a shopping bag, let alone a box which would have to be carried in front of the person. It would also have recorded the cargo door of the van being opened, which it did not.
My son was very busy yesterday and today so I volunteered to sort out redelivery of the package for him. The card stated that I needed to go online to rearrange delivery. It was at their depot about eight miles away and couldn’t be re delivered until tomorrow, but I could pre warn the depot that I would fetch it, which I decided to do. I took the card and eventually found the depot, basically on a new industrial site, having initially gone to the newer, incorrect building - it was at the older one further round the site.
I was given the package. I noticed that nowhere on it did it say that a signature was needed from the recipient on delivery, nor was I asked for any ID. I made a verbal complaint! I suspect that the driver simply couldn’t be bothered to look for the parcel in his van…no doubt it was quite full so early in the morning and didn’t want to get delayed.
On my return back home, a message popped up asking me to leave a review…..so I did!