Is It a Crime to Keep Wrongly Delivered Parcels?

nux on 14/07/2023 - 19:22
Last edited 14/07/2023 - 21:43

Interested to know if it’s a crime for someone to purposefully hold our parcels that got wrongly delivered.

Some genius with Amazon Logistics has been sending our packages to a wrong address (we'd receive emails saying parcels delivered but we never received them). The most recent time the driver was careful enough to take a photo of the household that had been happily receiving our packages, which enabled us to identify the suspect - we did have a suspicious address in mind so just needed to cross check it with Google Maps. Easy job.

We drove to the address but the packages weren't on the porch any more. Apparently whoever lives in that house reckons it's okay to keep whatever they find at their front door, even if the rightful recipient's name and address (maybe also mobile number) are on the package.

There seemed to be nothing we could do about it though.

No we didn't knock their door. Had to let Amazon do the heavy lifting.

General Discussion

Comments

  • Breno785au on 16/07/2023 - 08:25
    +1

    This reminds me of one time a few years ago we had a huge delivery of frozen fresh dog food dropped off at our door. We went to houses in our court that could've been mistaken for ours. Wasn't anyone's. Called the company, they couldn't work out why it was delivered to us, took them some time to find out where it was supposed to go. Another street 500m away from ours so we lugged it into the boot and dropped it off lol.

  • nosey on 16/07/2023 - 10:13

    I received a package from China. Had 2 different labels on it, 1 was our details, 2nd was other customer. Opened it up which contained a number of sub parcels and clearly was the 2nd persons order. We got a refund, and kept getting told someone will come pick package up. Kept it in garage for 6 months and no one came. Recently opened it all up fully to see what i scored. A $50 mechanical keyboard, some chingrish t-shirts and ipad cover. Kinda fun getting a mystery package.

  • Cluster on 16/07/2023 - 12:14

    Is it theft to keep a package not addressed to you? Yes. Simple as that.

  • dubingup on 16/07/2023 - 12:26

    Unlawful Possession /

  • payless69 on 16/07/2023 - 12:41

    If I get printer cartridges from spammers who claim to plant a tree for every order:
    Can I hold payment untill I see them trees grow?

  • Chmmr on 16/07/2023 - 13:03
    +1

    I wonder how many people this conflicts with for wrongly delivered Uber Eats orders.

  • paulaus on 16/07/2023 - 13:51
    +1

    Just send yourself a parcel that goes bang when you open it, he won't be able to do it again.

  • Milkywayss on 16/07/2023 - 14:07
    +1

    Years ago I looked up the laws regarding this after getting a laptop that the company cancelled and refunded, then still delivered. I contacted them and they said I needed to pay to send it back which I refused and said they can either pay or come and get it. Back then from memory it was 3 months IF you have told them.

    • xdigger on 17/07/2023 - 10:50
      +1

      Did you get to keep the free laptop?

  • bajillionaire on 16/07/2023 - 14:31
    +1

    We bought some things from IKEA and had them delivered. The delivery person accidentally included a cabinet that was meant for someone else on his delivery list for the day. We tried to call IKEA and let them know so they wouldn't get in trouble. We were on hold for an hour waiting to speak with someone, without any luck. It's still the the box as we actually don't want or need it, but we wouldn't feel bad for keeping it after that.

  • Narull on 16/07/2023 - 14:34
    +2

    I've had to add "RISE NOT CRESCENT!" on the second line after my street on amazon because I live on 'narull rise' which is a small street off 'narull crescent' so they kept delivering to the wrong street because the delivery drivers barely look and that person or someone else happily kept my stuff.

    Since doing that all my deliveries have arrived correctly, highly recommend adding something like this for yourself, you can add more info to your address just so this kinda stupid stuff doesn't happen.

    The trick to your question is you can't be sure the person at the other address who are the ones keeping them, it could be their neighbour seeing packages on their porch and swiping them, even know yeah it's probably the person at the address you technically have no proof bar it was at that address not that it went inside their house so they can just play it off as 'we never got any package'.

  • capslock janitor on 16/07/2023 - 16:16
    +1

    punishable by death

    • cuteseal on 18/07/2023 - 11:25

      straight to jail!

  • Wayne7497 on 16/07/2023 - 17:49
    +1

    Its stealing by finding

    • capslock janitor on 18/07/2023 - 11:43

      finders keepers

      • Wayne7497 on 18/07/2023 - 13:29

        Dont think so..

        • capslock janitor on 18/07/2023 - 13:59

          Welcome to Wayne's world

          • Wayne7497 on 18/07/2023 - 14:49

            @capslock janitor: Hmmm never heard that before really, maybe the fact that the op,s exact situation recemtly occurred and my end result was to charge the offender with stealing by finding of which he was convicted, after 37yrs as a police officer im pretty confident i know a thing or two.

  • kaleidoscope on 16/07/2023 - 19:56
    +2

    We drove to the address but the packages weren't on the porch any more.

    Since you have photographic proof from amazon about driver leaving it on the their doorstep I’d definitely knock on the door and very politely ask them after presenting them with evidence.

    If they deny it then I’m afraid there is not much you can do but amazon is responsible for refund or resending the item. If it keeps happening in future I’d advice using amazon or auspost parcel locker which is really handy.

    Also keep in mind, its possible whoever collected it at the house may have kept it aside and the person answering the door may not be aware of it. So don’t jump into conclusions with first sight and start making accusations.

    GL

  • aisling on 16/07/2023 - 20:30
    +1

    It's a test of their character…. And they failed :(
    But in this case, unless it's a one-of-kind item, it is pretty much as close to a victimless crime as you can get. No one will be shedding a tear for Amazon. Just hope the driver doesn't cop a penalty.

  • N15 on 17/07/2023 - 06:36

    Can you get your parcels delivered to your workplace instead? Some companies are okay with it.

  • SpicyStew on 17/07/2023 - 11:38

    moral crime if not criminal

  • ankor on 17/07/2023 - 18:33
    +1

    How has no-one suggested that you deliver a glitter bomb to yourself? Geez..

  • ribze1 on 17/07/2023 - 21:58
    +2

    Breach under the rules of the street, known as a dog act.

  • freekay on 18/07/2023 - 07:41
    -1

    It's probably a crime, but I used to live in an apartment block where uber eats deliveries kept getting dropped off at my door and I'd just eat it. It wasn't that it was the wrong apartment—it was the wrong complex altogether. If I was able to answer the door, I'd explain that it was the wrong complex, but if it was just left at my doorstep, then I'd considering a blessing from the delivery-gods.

  • DingoBilly on 18/07/2023 - 07:58
    -1

    I've had things stolen from me this way before.

    Like I know which address it was delivered to. I contacted the person and asked them to let me know about it and they claimed they had no idea.

    (profanity) these sorts of people, ended up losing out on it all.

  • imme1386 on 18/07/2023 - 10:00

    Depends on the intent and method of delivery

    If you know the parcel is not yours and it happens often, accepting the parcel from the courier could be illegal in your state, Unless u know the person and know they will collect it.
    If the courier leaves it unnatended and you were not aware of it, you can retain it and try notify the person or courier of wrongly delivered item, you can retain it until collection and if they dont hold on to it until someone shows up,
    If you have held onto the parcel for more than 3 years you can open it and sell goods to recoup any loss to storing it i.e. if you are a business or the space it takes up you could have used.
    You would need to speed to your local council as to when its okay to open it as most states have a no open policy on letters but not sure on parcels.

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