Let's Be Detectives! Australia Post！

LYIWENEV on 27/05/2022 - 20:16
Last edited 28/05/2022 - 13:34 by 2 other users

I'm a foreigner, so there may be a lot of grammatical mistakes. Please forgive me.

Let's find the thieves at the Australian Post Office! I have a parcel sent from China to Melbourne and then to Canberra. The package contained a new iPhone that had been stolen. The funny thing is, none of the other items in my package were missing except my phone. What's more, the thief left his tools in my bag. It says scan in English.

Analysis:

  1. Melbourne, China. In this segment, you have photos, weight. All the small packages are put in a big box. After arriving in Australia, open the big box and send my small package to me. So there is no link being opened.
  2. My case was opened from the side and then glued with transparent tape. There's a knife inside. (Knives are not allowed in international deliveries, as we all know)
  3. The knives are written in English. It's been used for a long time. So I guess it must be in the Australian post office when scanning, someone through the X-ray machine, found that there is a mobile phone in the package. Took a knife and opened my package. This person is most likely the scanner worker.

So NOW I want to know how I can find out who owns this knife, or who's involved. I don't know how to contact the Australian post office, and it doesn't feel very helpful. Do you have any ideas? I know the make of this knife. There are also shipping records.

Thank you very much for your help

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Comments

      • greatlamp on 29/05/2022 - 22:59

        You can ship knives, as long as they are not illegal weapons.

  • Ocker on 28/05/2022 - 08:22

    Case of "he said, "she said"

  • chasis on 28/05/2022 - 09:35
    +1

    (Knives are not allowed in international deliveries, as we all know)

    What??

    • RebelOrlan on 28/05/2022 - 12:47
      +2

      They are allowed. I imported a meat cleaver recently. lol.

      The ones I find locally have a wooden part connected to the meat cleaver and I find those a little uncomfortable to use as you don't know when the handle might part with the cleaver…

  • jrvb42 on 28/05/2022 - 09:35
    +1

    Police or AFP matter? Fingerprints on the knife?

    • callmechicky on 28/05/2022 - 17:52

      Doubt they would even bother but just say they did, China wouldn’t hand over fingerprint data in a million years and that leaves finding a match in Australia.

      Highly doubt Auspost would hire anyone with a criminal record for them to have the fingerprints on the police database so there goes that.

  • 7ekn00 on 28/05/2022 - 10:24
    +3

    Customs removed fake/stolen/non GST claimed goods, some clown at the X-Ray station left their box cutter in packaging instead of note :/

    iPhone over the $1000 GST cut off, customs probably holding it to issue $300 GST and handling invoice :P

    • wtfnodeal on 30/05/2022 - 10:20

      I actually have bought some high quality Chinese KO/not licensed toys from AliExpress China sellers without any problems delivered to my address in Australia.

    • Franc-T on 31/05/2022 - 07:46
      +2

      I would wager its probably:

      https://www.abf.gov.au/buying-online/importing-by-post-or-ma…

      Goods with a value over AUD1000 are unable to be to be delivered by Australia Post unless an Import Declaration is made and any duty, taxes and charges owing are
      paid in full
      If you take no action within 30 days of receiving a First Notice then Australia Post may return the goods to the sender (excluding tobacco and tobacco products).

      OP probably hasnt got the letter as yet.

  • RebelOrlan on 28/05/2022 - 12:46

    I don't know what the current law is, but rebirthed iphones were illegal for some time. There was even a legal case on it, as I remember.

    I might not be up to date on the news with recycling/refurbishment of iphones though. It's been a long time since I looked into it.

  • PostieMalone on 28/05/2022 - 13:56
    +12

    As an Ex-AP employee, Australia Post does not own a single x-ray scanner. The only ones utilised are aviation x-ray scanners and border force.

    Your case sounds like a fraudulent Sender. This is a frequent occurrence

    If you call Australia Post Contact Centre you can raise an enquiry, and they will more than likely have further electronic data surrounding the contents. They will also raise a missing item case for you, but as a not for future, all cases where theft has occurred - you will be advised to contact the Sender for them to make a claim through their postal authority.

    • bdl on 29/05/2022 - 21:30
      +2

      Username definitely checks out

  • juzza87 on 28/05/2022 - 14:42

    How much did you pay for the iPhone, and what model is it?

  • CheeryCheapskate on 28/05/2022 - 14:47
    +2

    First question would be who was your supplier in China?
    If they aren't well known then you probably got scammed from the supplier and they set up the package to claim it was a "thief" as a scapegoat.
    I recently order a phone and it arrived just fine but it was a reputable seller and I buy from China all the time but get refund if they don't arrive (Bang Good and AliExpress).

  • johninmelb on 28/05/2022 - 17:01
    +1

    Melbourne airport is a hotbed of theft. I had a hard drive coming from the US stolen by either Border Force or Aust Post. Parcel scanning showed it going through all the checkpoints in the US and arriving at Tulla. Next thing, it just vanishes, and AP kept telling me it was with Border Force. It has never turned up to this day. Fortunately the company sent me a replacement. Also had a few other low value items vanish at Melbourne Airport. Drives me demented.

  • callmechicky on 28/05/2022 - 17:50
    +2

    There is one sure way to work out if the iPhone was actually in the package when it left China (kinda)

    Check the weight of the parcel that would have had to been logged when it was posted, can’t really lie as the cost of postage depends on the weight so it would have to be disclosed.

    If it was just the pocket knife, it would be a very small amount compared to the weight of an iPhone which you can Google for the exact weight of that model.

    Eliminates the theory if it was sent in the first place.

    • greatlamp on 29/05/2022 - 23:01

      A phone weighs about 200 grams…

      • callmechicky on 29/05/2022 - 23:17

        Plus box, manuals, stickers, cables, wall adapter/headphones if there is one.

        A quick Google Search found the iPhone 13 as 278 grams without the box, and 394 grams with…

  • 777 on 28/05/2022 - 17:55
    +3

    I have had 2x phone lost coming from China.
    Simply dont order anymore pay extra here , 2 years warranty, support and Amex insurance incl screen damage

  • Cave Fire on 28/05/2022 - 18:40
    +1

    what does it say on your postage label? if it is under valued / not declared by the seller, then chance it was confiscated. if you call auspost they can get more info than what you see on tracking.

  • Hugh G Rection on 28/05/2022 - 18:47
    +1

    hope you weren't an idiot and used something like PayPal or amex that will protect you. it could have been anyone, but if you are protected it doesn't matter. just file the claim and get another one.

  • CrustyV on 28/05/2022 - 19:42

    What’s the tracking number of your parcel? If you care to share. I’ll tell you what where & when of your parcels whereabouts .
    With a tracking number, we can find out if it was sent with a 3PL and unboxed at their warehouse in Australia , repacked & handed to AP to deliver domestically. Or if it was sent with China Post and went through any of the gateways in China.

  • netsurfer on 28/05/2022 - 20:47

    So I guess it must be in the Australian post office when scanning

    You most likely don't receive parcels from overseas often. Custom can scan the international parcel (not AusPost) and can open parcels to check. Custom officers also have the rights to instruct the delivery company (i.e. AusPost) that the parcel failed custom check and has to be returned to the sender.

    Melbourne, China. In this segment, you have photos, weight. All the small packages are put in a big box. After arriving in Australia, open the big box and send my small package to me. So there is no link being opened.

    Um, once again, customs can open parcels. There is no such thing as if it is a consolidated large parcel with smaller parcels, don't do any custom check. Was iPhone declared in the list of items?

    Anyway, better off spending your energy of claiming insurance (from the source delivery company). Expecting police to collect fingerprints on the knife and have them chase down that iPhone is unrealistic.

  • MaxPowerz on 28/05/2022 - 21:26

    OP

    I'm not able to help you with your specific dilemma, but your English is quite good! :)

  • fishka2 on 29/05/2022 - 00:30

    Just do the credit card chargeback and forget about it

  • DrScavenger on 29/05/2022 - 11:16
    +1

    I find it funny how people are flaming and demoralizing instead of actually helping lol

    • LFO on 29/05/2022 - 13:41

      I read them as a dose of reality check rather than a personal attack.

      OP has suffered a material loss but his/her speculations are a bit out. Hence the "comments".

      My opinion only, of course.

      • DrScavenger on 29/05/2022 - 18:34
        -1

        So the replies are even more speculations?

        "I'm sure high and mighty Ozis at AusPost would never do such a thing like that, must be the Chinese"

        Meanwhile many henchmen of Auspost are poor.

        • FLICKIT on 29/05/2022 - 18:47
          +2

          "I'm sure high and mighty Ozis at AusPost would never do such a thing like that, must be the Chinese"
          Meanwhile many henchmen of Auspost are poor.

          But Australia Post cant see inside the parcel to see there's an iphone there to steal… or do you think they just open random packages searching for phones to steal?

          The Xray scanning is done by Australian Border Force, federal employees, basically a law enforcement agency, I struggle to imagine those guys stealing phones out of parcels… Security is fairly high in those facilities also, CCTV all over the place and such…

          I suspect most people on this site have been scammed in one way or another by a chinese seller so pointing the finger that way is fairly logical for most of us…

          • DrScavenger on 29/05/2022 - 18:54

            @FLICKIT: I actually agree with you, but the way some people say is a bit condescending to me, I think

  • Narull on 29/05/2022 - 12:27

    I think OP has seen too many movies, it's clear they got scammed to everyone but them.

    Australia Post isn't going to review CC footage like you want, they are going to tell you to contact the sender as it's their responsibility and it's crazy to think they would look up CC footage at all, the amount of wasted time they would have doing that for everyone who asked would be insane.

    Sorry OP, you got scammed, just because they sent a box video doesn't mean anything, they can simply open the box after the video has been taken.

    It's a harsh lesson but a good one for you, don't try and cheap out on something worth so much by buying from a dodgy site, you tried to save $300 but instead it cost you however much your iphone version is worth.

    Do a chargeback if you can, otherwise bite the bullet and accept it as a lesson learnt mate.

  • Sidog on 29/05/2022 - 13:03
    +1

    You got scammed by the sender and they made it look like it was opened mid transit so you wouldn’t blame them… case closed.

  • UFO on 29/05/2022 - 13:36
    +5

    Seller has scammed you.

    Sold you a phone, packed you a knife with "X-Ray" on it… to throw you from what's actually happened.

    It makes no sense that a person stealing from you in customs, would then conveniently pack the evidence into the parcel incriminating themselves.

    You've been scammed, Australia Post is definitely not to blame.

    • OzDayZee on 29/05/2022 - 17:05

      same thought. the 'Xray' department wanting to label their knife is kinda lame - its not like there are 10 knives around to be confused.

  • TightLikeThisx on 29/05/2022 - 13:37

    Did the parcel have a sticker on it indicating that there were lithium iron batteries inside the parcel?

    I've heard of cases where people going through airports have had their devices confiscated so that border force can image the device.

  • EdenKai on 29/05/2022 - 13:47
    +1

    This sounds like you got scammed tbh. I dont know how you paid for it, but id try to make a claim with whatever bank you have to get your money back. It happens though, i know its a lot of money to lose, but your aim should really be seeing if you can get the money back, rather than trying to incriminate a postage company.

  • skillet on 29/05/2022 - 16:33

    Do you have prove its your iPhone? If you have the IMEI you can have Apple block it and it will be useless brick.

  • cnrmlj on 29/05/2022 - 16:51

    Or let's not.

  • blingerz on 29/05/2022 - 20:07
    +2

    Is the knife made of Valyrian steel? I heard the culprit is none other than Petyr Baelish - a man of devilish cunning. It's better to leave this matter be.

    That being said, you should check what you could sell the knife on the black market. Valyrian steel is said to be very rare and expensive.

  • ShortyX on 29/05/2022 - 21:15
    +2

    Easy OP… find the CCTV footage of the crime then zoom, enhance, zoom, enhance, zoom, enhance, zoom, enhance… hold it… we got ‘em.

  • Austere on 29/05/2022 - 23:54
    +1

    Sounds like you bought it in china and sent it to a reshaping facility to get repacked. Almost 100% chance the guy in china repacking your order stole the phone and faked the weight

  • Jaysful on 30/05/2022 - 00:33
    +1

    Ah the classic: Chinese iPhone seller and Chinese 3PL are more trust-worthy than Australia Post

  • Wasabi Ninja on 30/05/2022 - 00:41

    This is the sort of thing that happens under (insert government of choice)…

  • wjb on 30/05/2022 - 01:54
    +2

    Take customs and borders security out of the equation they use special tape with label ‘opened for inspection’, ‘opened by border force’ or similar

    • skillet on 30/05/2022 - 09:25
      +1

      Yes they also leave a huge note inside, telling you it's them and for the general reason why it was opened and resealed.

  • centrelink on 30/05/2022 - 09:37
    +3

    Buy a ticket to China, then buy the same iPhone physically. Activate turn on iPhone with findmyiphone or AirTag and send it to your Australian address. Carefully watch the movements online where the iPhone is moving then pay a visit to the area once you see something suspicious.

  • jerjergege on 30/05/2022 - 14:06

    Knives are allowed via post, but yes, if you didn't order it, potentially it is the culprits.

  • May4th on 31/05/2022 - 15:49

    no recourse unfortunately, even if AusPost somehow accepts liability I believe they only cover up to $100 without extra insurance, and that's for a lost parcel. save your energy and write it off as lesson learnt. always pay insurance on sending any parcels of value overseas.

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