Is Your Delivery in Safe Hands?

With the internet holding ever-greater sway over almost all aspects of our daily lives, it’s no surprise that online shopping is becoming more and more popular – especially when it comes to the festive season. The biggest worry for most consumers is undoubtedly whether their delivery will arrive in time for Christmas, but two stories from the past week cast aspersions on the integrity of the system as a whole.

In two separate incidents, drivers with a well-known delivery firm have been filmed on CCTV allegedly stealing parcels from the home to which they were supposed to be bringing Christmas cheer. The firm in question has indicated it is now conducting an internal investigation into both cases.

Caught on camera in Cambridgeshire

Kieren Drane from Sohan in Cambridgeshire came home last week to find a delivery slip through his letterbox and some interesting footage on his CCTV camera system. After posting the slip, the Yodel delivery driver is clearly shown making off with the package.

Irate, Drane immediately took to social media and posted a video of the theft, along with a tirade against the man in question. “Check this Yodel driver stealing my Amazon parcel while putting a slip through my door…!” he said. “Luckily it was not valuable. He may have wanted to look up before walking off with it.”

Amazon have granted Drane a full refund and Yodel have promised to look into the episode, claiming it is “an isolated incident and in no way reflects on our wider workforce, who have worked hard to deliver Christmas for millions of people this year.”

More sticky fingers in Surrey

Unfortunately for Yodel and for another unlucky customer, the alleged theft in Cambridgeshire turned out not to be an isolated incident. Just days later, another homeowner in Surrey caught a second Yodel driver pilfering a package from her back garden.

The man arrived on Wednesday 21^st December and attempted to deliver a parcel to the address in Weybridge, only to find the 26-year-old occupant away from home. However, the CCTV footage from the property clearly shows the man spot another package that had been left by a Royal Mail workers days previously and abscond with it. Then the very next day, the same driver has the temerity to revisit the address and successfully deliver his own parcel, only just clocking the CCTV this time.

“I couldn’t really believe what I was seeing. It’s annoying because I’ve had to go out and buy replacement gifts,” said the woman, who revealed that the stolen goods amounted to £120. “It’s also upsetting because these are the people you are supposed to trust.”

Again, Yodel have promised to deal with the individual in question.

Don’t get short-changed by unscrupulous delivery drivers

On both of the above occasions, the victims were able to get to the bottom of their missing deliveries thanks to the home security systems installed around their homes. Without that footage, neither would have had the faintest idea where their parcels had gone and the delivery drivers responsible would have been free to continue their thievery unchecked.

Clearly, criminals can be found in the unlikeliest of places and a roguish robber doesn’t necessarily have to gain access to your house to steal from you. That’s why it’s so important to make sure you have all of your bases covered with a state-of-the-art security system around your own property.

At Blackburn Alarms, we have a whole host of intruder alerts, CCTV cameras and access control systems to increase safety and give you peace of mind. To find out more about how we can help secure your home or workplace, get in touch with us today.