Royal Mail stolen parcel?

catpea33

I ordered some fairly expensive photographic equipment from China and the parcel left Hong Kong on November 5th. I went away with work for a prolonged period and, knowing this would happen, set the delivery address as my parents. I hadn't heard from them that the parcel had arrived and only thought to check the parcel tracking website earlier today (I assumed it had arrived and my parents had forgotten to email me, in the same way that I forgot to email them to check). However, I've just found out that the parcel arrived in Hereford on November 11th. From there it was either collected from the delivery office or delivered to an address. The problem lies in that I don't know the person who picked it up nor has my parcel actually arrived at my parents.

Who has responsibility here, in terms of providing me with compensation? Royal Mail who were the UK carriers (and who have the responsibility of either delivering to the correct address or assuring the person who collects it has ID with proof of address) or Hong Kong Post? Are international packages provided with insurance once in the UK as standard or do I need to take this up with the website I bought the equipment from?

Perhaps these questions can be answered by Royal Mail. Their phonelines are shut on Sunday unfortunately (and I'm in Norway right now so don't really want to call from here but will be as soon as I get back to the UK) and their customer service pages on their website are a joke at being 'helpful,' unless you like being referred to circular help pages that never provide you with any real assistance. What happened to providing email addresses??? *Rant over*

Anyway, thanks for any help you can give. Whilst I'm annoyed that the equipment has gone, I'll be slightly happier if I know that I'll get full financial compensation...
Cat

custardy

what does the tracking actually state?
what was the approx value of the package?

catpea33

Approx. value of the package was US$150.

Sorry, I'm not entirely sure what you mean by the first question so apologies if my reply makes no sense. It appears the package went through Royal Mail as a Track and Trace parcel, although I'm not entirely sure if this is the case (it went through Hong Kong Post as registered airmail).

Thanks
Cat

custardy

catpea33 wrote: »

Approx. value of the package was US$150.

Sorry, I'm not entirely sure what you mean by the first question so apologies if my reply makes no sense. It appears the package went through Royal Mail as a Track and Trace parcel, although I'm not entirely sure if this is the case (it went through Hong Kong Post as registered airmail).

Thanks
Cat

well how do you know it hit the UK?
you have a tracking number i assume?

catpea33

Yes, it has a tracking number. I used the number in the Royal Mail website and it came up saying that delivery had occured from the Hereford office and it also had the proof of delivery signature (signed by someone who I don't know).

custardy

catpea33 wrote: »

Yes, it has a tracking number. I used the number in the Royal Mail website and it came up saying that delivery had occured from the Hereford office and it also had the proof of delivery signature (signed by someone who I don't know).

well that tracking number is wrong for your item
sounds like your seller has messed up
for an item to be scanned as delivered from that office it would be delivered to that local area and wouldnt be scanned on its way to Aberdeen
an international item would be scanned at mount pleasant then forwarded on through the mail centres to your local office
you could pop into your local RM office and ask them to print out the "track & trace audit trail" via the intranet
this will show every track from when it hit the UK

catpea33

The tracking number is correct. I arranged delivery to my parents, which is in Hereford, not Aberdeen.

custardy

catpea33 wrote: »

The tracking number is correct. I arranged delivery to my parents, which is in Hereford, not Aberdeen.

ahh

well my advice stands but i would go in with the tracking number and enquire basically whats the hells going on
they can look on T&T and see what duty the item was allocated to if it was a int priority or if not see who was on the expected duty that day

catpea33

Yep, will do. As my Dad said, 'Give them hell.' Thanks for your advice!

Just as a plot thickener, the person who signed it is the only person in Hereford with their surname and their initials match (192.com). If Royal Mail gives me no joy then hopefully the police can ask them a few questions...

custardy

catpea33 wrote: »

Yep, will do. As my Dad said, 'Give them hell.' Thanks for your advice!

Just as a plot thickener, the person who signed it is the only person in Hereford with their surname and their initials match (192.com). If Royal Mail gives me no joy then hopefully the police can ask them a few questions...

bear in mind it could have been misaddressed so i wouldnt go in guns blazing at first

barvid

Also bear in mind (a) not everyone is on 192.com and (b) it could have been a false name.