Amazon Demand a Police Report - Police won't issue one?????

BrianBadonde

Grumpy_chap said:

Have I got this right?
The OP has purchased two webcams from two different retailers who operate independent warehouses and use difference carriage companies, yet both had some kind of "switch" in the delivery when received?

Don't know what you're inferring, but yes, I purchased a Webcan from Currys.   When it arrived the item inside was the lesser version.   I gave Currys the S/N for both the Box & the item inside, so I'm sure they could track where that went.   I will never know how that happened, but Currys issued the refund.

I then ordered a more expensive replacement from Amazon.   For this I had to give a special Code.    We opened the box on arrival, in front of the driver & the camera wasn't in there.  Just the Tripod.   The driver insisted he only had instruction for one item & the webcam must be with another driver.  Whether he was lying, we will never know.
I've been buying from eBay & Amazon for 20+ years & nothing like this ever happened before.   Have I just been unlucky or is there now an epidemic of thieving in these warehouses &/or couriers????   According to the Police, it's happening a lot.
I will be returning the unopened Tripod & Remote to Amazon, as I will not be blackmailed into paying £45 more for the webcam they stole and that's the last I will deal with them.

savergrant said:

BrianBadonde said:

I am totally exasperated with Online Shopping / Couriers.   After recently receiving an item from Currys only to find the item had been swapped inside the box with a cheaper one, I decided to buy the item from Amazon.  In fact, we went for a more expensive model.

So I ordered a Webcam, Tripod & Remote from Amazon.    The Webcam & Tripod were shipped first.   Amazon sent us a One-off Code to give to the delivery driver.   Great idea!!!   I'm sure they get Scammers claiming none delivery...  It's the first time we've had this One-off Code.

Driver arrived with one package.   Wife said there should be 2 items.   Driver said he only had instruction for one item & showed her his phone.   Wife opened the box in front of the driver to find only the Tripod in the box.   The £254 Webcam not inside.   The driver said the Webcam must be with another driver.   Sounded fair enough.    Soon as he left, we receive an email from Amazon....BOTH ITEMS HAVE BEEN DELIVERED.

So I immediately contacted Amazon.   They were helpful at first.  They said well it sounds like the item has been stolen by a 3rd Party & instructed me to report it to the Police & obtain a Crime Report.

Unfortunately, despite much pleading & begging over the phone & 2 Police Stations, they will not issue a Full Crime Report!    We have a Crime Number.   Amazon won't accept this.

I am trying to contact Amazon UK = Impossible.   Just doing the rounds of overseas Call Centres telling me the same thing.


I don't know what to do?

Did the Box have a weight specified on the label? Although the tripod is likely to have been heavier than a webcam, hopefully the absence of a webcam would make a difference to the weight. If there is no sign of tampering then the webcam was probably never in the box, whether by mistake or deliberate fraud.
It sounds like you had no reason to suspect the webcam was meant to be in the same box until amazon emailed confirming delivery? 
I saw something a while back which recommended always filming yourself opening parcels(I find this very difficult to do) but it should prove that you have received a box but not necessarily what the retailer believes to be contained in the box.
If you can't prove that the box didn't contain the item you might have difficulty holding the retailer liable, as it is only your word against theirs.

Yes, the label weight was marked 0.92kg.    We weight the box at 0.5kg.

Aylesbury_Duck

BrianBadonde said:

Grumpy_chap said:

Have I got this right?
The OP has purchased two webcams from two different retailers who operate independent warehouses and use difference carriage companies, yet both had some kind of "switch" in the delivery when received?

Don't know what you're inferring, but yes, I purchased a Webcan from Currys.   When it arrived the item inside was the lesser version.   I gave Currys the S/N for both the Box & the item inside, so I'm sure they could track where that went.   I will never know how that happened, but Currys issued the refund.

I then ordered a more expensive replacement from Amazon.   For this I had to give a special Code.    We opened the box on arrival, in front of the driver & the camera wasn't in there.  Just the Tripod.   The driver insisted he only had instruction for one item & the webcam must be with another driver.  Whether he was lying, we will never know.
I've been buying from eBay & Amazon for 20+ years & nothing like this ever happened before.   Have I just been unlucky or is there now an epidemic of thieving in these warehouses &/or couriers????   According to the Police, it's happening a lot.
I will be returning the unopened Tripod & Remote to Amazon, as I will not be blackmailed into paying £45 more for the webcam they stole and that's the last I will deal with them.

savergrant said:

BrianBadonde said:

I am totally exasperated with Online Shopping / Couriers.   After recently receiving an item from Currys only to find the item had been swapped inside the box with a cheaper one, I decided to buy the item from Amazon.  In fact, we went for a more expensive model.

So I ordered a Webcam, Tripod & Remote from Amazon.    The Webcam & Tripod were shipped first.   Amazon sent us a One-off Code to give to the delivery driver.   Great idea!!!   I'm sure they get Scammers claiming none delivery...  It's the first time we've had this One-off Code.

Driver arrived with one package.   Wife said there should be 2 items.   Driver said he only had instruction for one item & showed her his phone.   Wife opened the box in front of the driver to find only the Tripod in the box.   The £254 Webcam not inside.   The driver said the Webcam must be with another driver.   Sounded fair enough.    Soon as he left, we receive an email from Amazon....BOTH ITEMS HAVE BEEN DELIVERED.

So I immediately contacted Amazon.   They were helpful at first.  They said well it sounds like the item has been stolen by a 3rd Party & instructed me to report it to the Police & obtain a Crime Report.

Unfortunately, despite much pleading & begging over the phone & 2 Police Stations, they will not issue a Full Crime Report!    We have a Crime Number.   Amazon won't accept this.

I am trying to contact Amazon UK = Impossible.   Just doing the rounds of overseas Call Centres telling me the same thing.


I don't know what to do?

Did the Box have a weight specified on the label? Although the tripod is likely to have been heavier than a webcam, hopefully the absence of a webcam would make a difference to the weight. If there is no sign of tampering then the webcam was probably never in the box, whether by mistake or deliberate fraud.
It sounds like you had no reason to suspect the webcam was meant to be in the same box until amazon emailed confirming delivery? 
I saw something a while back which recommended always filming yourself opening parcels(I find this very difficult to do) but it should prove that you have received a box but not necessarily what the retailer believes to be contained in the box.
If you can't prove that the box didn't contain the item you might have difficulty holding the retailer liable, as it is only your word against theirs.

Yes, the label weight was marked 0.92kg.    We weight the box at 0.5kg.

So you're going to blacklist a retailer from which you've had faultless service for over 20 years, and accuse them of theft, because one item went missing and they've had the temerity to, er.... comply with their lawful obligation to refund you in full.

Seems proportionate.  Something tells me they'll probably be happier with that outcome than you are.

BrianBadonde

(Removed by Forum Team)

For anyone interested, it was Amazon who first said the item "must have been stolen by a 3rd party" and insisted I obtain a Crime Report.   The Police issued a Crime Report for "Theft".   

If I make an agreement, written or verbal, I deliver.   If it costs me more, so be it.   I work in an industry where failure to deliver on time can result in a "Cover Purchase", where the customer sources the goods elsewhere & bills me for it.   Seems integrity is in short supply these days. 

Aylesbury_Duck

BrianBadonde said:

(Removed by Forum Team)

For anyone interested, it was Amazon who first said the item "must have been stolen by a 3rd party" and insisted I obtain a Crime Report.   The Police issued a Crime Report for "Theft".   

If I make an agreement, written or verbal, I deliver.   If it costs me more, so be it.   I work in an industry where failure to deliver on time can result in a "Cover Purchase", where the customer sources the goods elsewhere & bills me for it.   Seems integrity is in short supply these days. 

Where's the lack of integrity?  They've offered a full refund in accordance with your consumer rights.  

There's a difference between Amazon guessing the item was stolen and you accusing Amazon themselves of theft.  But you know that already.

Your industry experience is irrelevant.  It may concern B2B sales for a start and even if not, your contract here was between you and the retailer and protected by consumer rights law.  But you know that, too.  Would you expect your business's customers to accuse you of theft any time a transaction went wrong and they didn't receive what they ordered?

BrianBadonde

There was a Theft.   Either at the Amazon Warehouse or as it would appear, the Courier.   Why Amazon chose to deliver an expensive item, which required a special code in a random white van & not their own Prime Fleet, I don't know.  

I doubt it was Jeff Bezos himself, but Amazon lost it along the way.   In my humble opinion by any measure of integrity, the company should take responsibility for their supply chain & replace the item.

Your idea of integrity may differ.  That is your right.

born_again

BrianBadonde said:

There was a Theft.   Either at the Amazon Warehouse or as it would appear, the Courier.   Why Amazon chose to deliver an expensive item, which required a special code in a random white van & not their own Prime Fleet, I don't know.  

I doubt it was Jeff Bezos himself, but Amazon lost it along the way.   In my humble opinion by any measure of integrity, the company should take responsibility for their supply chain & replace the item.

Your idea of integrity may differ.  That is your right.

Many staff use their own vans, Could also be that Amazon hired a van, as they needed more vans.
Most of our deliveries are via white vans, or even cars. Still a Amazon delivery.

Amazon are not just going to roll over & refund/replace deliveries that customer says did not turn up, especially high value, with a code. 
So asking for a police report is fair. Makes the chancers think again.
Once you gave them that you got your refund. It also gives them a insight to look further into these reports to see if there is a common denominator in the thefts.

BrianBadonde

born_again said:

Many staff use their own vans, Could also be that Amazon hired a van, as they needed more vans.
Most of our deliveries are via white vans, or even cars. Still a Amazon delivery.

Amazon are not just going to roll over & refund/replace deliveries that customer says did not turn up, especially high value, with a code. 
So asking for a police report is fair. Makes the chancers think again.
Once you gave them that you got your refund. It also gives them a insight to look further into these reports to see if there is a common denominator in the thefts.

Oh I agree.   I didn't mind filing a Police Report, aside from the hassle of actually getting the police to give one & Amazon refusing to recognise it.. (apparently the first number we got was just a Report Log.  We had to hassle them for the actual Crime Report)...   

Had a promising update yesterday.   Had a reply from Amazon UK Executive Relations team.. 

QUOTE
In order to fully investigate this matter, we'll need to share the incident information with the company contracted for the delivery. They may share it with their driver. Do we have your consent to do so?
UNQUOTE

They certainly do have my consent, along with pics of the delivery driver stood by an open box.  That might take some explaining.

ThumbRemote

born_again said:

BrianBadonde said:

There was a Theft.   Either at the Amazon Warehouse or as it would appear, the Courier.   Why Amazon chose to deliver an expensive item, which required a special code in a random white van & not their own Prime Fleet, I don't know.  

I doubt it was Jeff Bezos himself, but Amazon lost it along the way.   In my humble opinion by any measure of integrity, the company should take responsibility for their supply chain & replace the item.

Your idea of integrity may differ.  That is your right.

So asking for a police report is fair. Makes the chancers think again.

No it isn't, it is an absolute abuse of the police service. 

The person being told to report it isn't the victim of a crime, and there may not even have been a crime - Amazon are insisting that their processes are infallible. 

born_again

ThumbRemote said:

born_again said:

BrianBadonde said:

There was a Theft.   Either at the Amazon Warehouse or as it would appear, the Courier.   Why Amazon chose to deliver an expensive item, which required a special code in a random white van & not their own Prime Fleet, I don't know.  

I doubt it was Jeff Bezos himself, but Amazon lost it along the way.   In my humble opinion by any measure of integrity, the company should take responsibility for their supply chain & replace the item.

Your idea of integrity may differ.  That is your right.

So asking for a police report is fair. Makes the chancers think again.

No it isn't, it is an absolute abuse of the police service. 

The person being told to report it isn't the victim of a crime, and there may not even have been a crime - Amazon are insisting that their processes are infallible. 

If Amazon are saying they will not refund without a report then the customer are the victim.

This is the same argument we have with the police over ATM fraud. Where a card is either stolen &/or shoulder surfed.
They are argue it is banks loss. Have argued this with desk person, in police station (clearly not actual police officer, as would not give badge number) that card was stolen from customer, as such they have suffered a loss that needs reporting & without a CRN we will not refund.

BrianBadonde

UPDATE. :  The Good, the Bad & the Ugly.    You really could not make this up...

On Saturday I received from Amazon Exec Office.   Apologies etc.. and credited my account with £45 to cover the difference of the replacement.   Excellent.  Restored my faith in Amazon.   Not about the money, it's the principal.  So I immediately re-ordered the item.

I'm at work, so my wife was nervous as hell at the prospect of asking the driver to open the box.   So driver turns up, just in a normal car.   She explained politely that she had to open the box as we had one stolen last week & had to obtain a Crime Report.   She started to open the box, he became rude & aggressive & grabbed the box & took it away.   She walked to the Car, he was shouting go away.   He drove off.   We have the whole thing on video.

Why on earth do Amazon ship expensive items (requiring a One-Off Code) with random drivers???