Neighbour stealing from mail order parcels?

marywooyeah

zaksmum wrote: »

These people never do. Remind me of that line in a song from years ago, "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose"

Me and Bobby McGee - Kris Kristofferson

I agree with the others - dob her in!

zaksmum

go_cat wrote: »

You can list in eBay via your phone so no computer needed

Personally I would be getting together with your neighbours and going to the police on mass. If she's as you describe then she is probably known to them anyway.

Oh and it may be she eagerly waits for delivery men and rushes out offering her services !!!

She's definitely known to the police...they are there a couple of times a week. Hammering on the door till she finally gives up and answers it or the kids give her away shouting that there's someone at the door.

Certainly not the kind of person you'd want to be confrontational with. The repercussions would be horrendous and the rest of us - unfortunately - do have to live here.

techspec

Many of the companies i order from have a section for delivery instructions. I usually add 'if out -only leave at 69 and 73 - no other address"

You could put "don't leave at 23 - shes a theiving cow".

Or words to that affect

If the company offers collect+ , have them delivered to your nearest store, if you think you may be out. I get mine delivered to a local shop - as i don't like my neighbours having my post.

As for the note on the door - how would a note saying "Deliveries - if no answer DON'T leave parcels at no.23" - tell burglers your out? Of course, if you have no front garden - the neighbour will see it and might take offence. So you could put "leave parcels at No.20, 21, 22 AND 24 ONLY!"

Mindless_Clone

thegirlintheattic wrote: »

1) Call the police
2) Speak to your local post office and make them and your postie aware not to leave parcels for you.
3) Put a note up with a general "If out please leave at post office/depot" then there will be no arguments over you accusing your neighbour of theft.
4) Make sure all companies you use are given delivery instructions not to leave the parcel at neighbours.

This. I do think you need to inform both the post office and the police... and for other carriers, leave strict instructions to leave only at one or two specific numbers (as a neighbourhood you could get together and agree who will take each other's parcel in).

zaksmum wrote: »

She's the type who'd sell her granny for a fiver so zero chance of her having a computer for an ebay listing - she's more likely to flog stuff to mates or down the pub. There are about 12 of her mates there now all off their heads on God knows what.

We're all just going to make sure she doesn't get her hands on any more of our parcels. The companies concerned might be ok about replacing the missing items once, but they won't be at all amused if it keeps on happening.

She might not sell through ebay but possibly might utilise Facebook and be selling through one of those local "for sale" groups that seem to have sprung up all over. Maybe between you, you can set up a fake Facebook account that you can all access and have it join all your local selling groups and look out for your items.
Just to add, my neighbour was able to find his son's stolen bike on Ebay, traced it, bidded (and won) the item on ebay and then called the police to come along and arrest the thief when he supposedly went to collect and pay for it. If you have the evidence, the police could do her for theft.

go_cat

If she is known to the police the they probably would want to get her off their patch and at her majesty's pleasure. .

You have nothing to lose by reporting it, any intelligence is useful to the police, even if they cannot do anything there and then

KateLiana27

You can report it to the police and ask for your identity to be kept from her. For all she knows, it will be the delivery companies that have complained.

zaksmum

But there's no evidence. The police can't do anything much without it. She just says she's handing the parcel over to the intended recipient exactly as she takes it in, apart from the time she says the baby opened it or whatever.

She's all wide eyed innocence.

go_cat

But there is circumstantial evidence and although this isn't enough for a conviction, the police should still take interest.

This is not a one off case and if she is doing this what else is she doing?

Nicki

zaksmum wrote: »

But there's no evidence. The police can't do anything much without it. She just says she's handing the parcel over to the intended recipient exactly as she takes it in, apart from the time she says the baby opened it or whatever.

She's all wide eyed innocence.

The public's role is to report a suspicion that a crime has been committed. The police's role is to obtain the evidence that the crime has been committed by the person suspected. The CPS's role is to convince a jury that the evidence is sufficiently convincing, and the jury's role is to make the final decision as to whether the person accused committed the crime. You seem to be jumping to the end of the process and usurping the jury's role, when actually you should be originating the process and letting it take its course.

And until the process does take its course, you'd be mad to take the advice some have given to display a notice visibly in your window saying or even hinting that this woman is a thief. At best, you are risking a brick through your window, at worst a libel writ! Just let the delivery companies know that you do not consent to parcels being left at that address and you will keep yourself on the right side of the law and avoid the risk of an ugly neighbourhood confrontation, whilst not losing any more goods.

bob_a_builder

you might be referring to couriers here, but the Royal Mail are intending to operate just such a scheme BUT you will have to opt out of letting neigbors taking in post

LINK