Thefts in the post.

[Auchinleckian]

Three times in the last three weeks I've been subject to theft, and attempted theft, with items sent via the Royal Mail.

First one was somebody sending me £3 in pound coins, and someone had torn the corner off the envelope but failed to get the money out as it was stuck to a card. I can only assume they were interrupted.

Secondly, a 1928 Athletic News annual was physically removed from the envelope before I got it, and the bare envelope put into one of the Post Office plastic bags apologising for the condition it had reached me in.

Today, I got an email from the guy who sent me the £3 as he'd promised to send me through some Stirling University programmes for the fundraising I do at Auchinleck Talbot with the programme hut. He told me that a letter he'd put inside an envelope with programmes had been returned to him via the Post Office, and nothing else. Envelope and contents gone.

Obviously I'm going to take it up with the Post Office, but I know they will prevaricate and take their time whilst probably not addressing the issue. Worrying thing is, I now seem to be targeted by someone, and I can only assume it's someone in the sorting office that deals with the mail for our particular area who knows I collect football memorabilia. Has anyone else ever been targeted like this? If so, can you please let me know if it was ever satisfactorily sorted out, and if so, how?

Think after making the initial complaint the next step is to formalise the matter with the Police as I've been subject to theft twice now. Never, ver, had this problem before and it's certainly making me question whether or not to stop buying stuff off ebay and having it posted to me.

[roughyedz]

I have had quiet a few items go astray, sometimes i post 3 or 4 items at once and only the one will dissapear, but its a regular occurance at least once a month. If some get delivered and some dont I can only assume its at the receiving Sorting Office they dissappear as the others posted at same time arrive OK. ( this is all asuming that the purchesers are honest in the first place that is of course??? ) I had a 1957 FA Cup Final delivered to myself in one of those plastic bags that looked like it had been chewed up by a dog, apology but no advice on how to claim. I did claim and have done several times since for lost items. However I have noticed that since they went "PRIVATE" even though proof of value is supplied and Paypal and E-Bay transaction papers, all that they send now is a book of 6 x 1st Class stamps regardless of value. I did send a mug through the post via recorded delivery recently and when that arrived it was broken. Sent all the claims forms off including pictures and all i got back was "You did not send and pack it in line with Royal Mail proceedures" No apology, no compensation , not even a book of stamps. I also had to refund the buyer of course for Royal Mails incompetence. They did NOT contact the buyer at all so how they came to ANY conclusion at all is a complete mystery to me ( apart from not wanting to pay out any MONEY being the reason for their decision ) unless they now have a Psychic Dept that looks into things ?????
Conclusion , dont expect anything other than a book of 6 stamps in compensation even for a recorded delivery item. Unless anyone on here HAS received any compensation from Royal Mail SINCE it has been privatised that is ??? Please do let us know if you have ???

[thfcbasil]

I must be wrong but I thought recorded delivery items were covered up to just over £40. More expensive items than that I send special delivery. Maybe i have been fortunate but have had next to nothing go missing either sent or received. I do sometimes wonder when you feel you have got a real bargain that the buyer decides not to send and refunds claiming it has been lost in the post. Certainly I would inform both the Post Office and the police in the hope, if items are being stolen, this will send a warning to the culprit. I hope you get a satisfactory solution to the problem.

[roughyedz]

To be honest if you went to the police i think they would fall over with laughter. Royal Mail have their own internal proceedures ie. the red claim form. If Royal Mail have now decided that compensation is a book of 1st Class Stamps, then what has that got to do with the police ??? When i didnt get anything off Royal Mail, after spending £3.90 on postage and lost £13.50 in goods ( not even an apology ) i raised it to a complaint to a managerial level, but I just got the initial hard luck story again, goodbye. If that is the attitude now by the Privatised Royal Mail then there you have it, what can you do apart from find an alternative postal system.
Im still waiting to hear from anyone who has received any compensation over and above 6 stamps in the last 12 months or so from Royal Mail ????
To finish I think the police would take the attitude , "Hard lines mate speak to Royal Mail" . . . . after all they do have other priorities, cant for the life of me think what, but im sure they do something or other. . . .

[Wullie]

John I'd forget the customer service . Try ringing the local delivery office and ask to speak to a manager. Sometimes a quiet word could work wonders rather than ringing someone who works in Sheffield or wherever with prepared bullshit to feed you. Also , very important. Just ask a few of the neighbours if they have had any post tampered with recently. If they say yes i never received a letter six years ago and the usual moans then maybe you just got unlucky. On the other hand, if a number of people in your area are having the same problems recently , then you'll have a very good case to put to the delivery manager that you suspect a local postman.
This is a major mistake people make. If you're being targeted , then your neighbours will be also, and will be much easier for a manager to start an investigation.

[Auchinleckian]

Cheers Wullie. Spoke to a friend who's a local postie this afternoon and he said he's seen a marked increase in letters locally that have been slit open. Police on Tuesday when I get back from the Macclesfield vs Grimsby game.

[cardiff55]

I think that is useful information, to know that Royal Mail have changed their claim procedures as I was unaware. I have had the odd thing go missing but very rarely and usually of low value.

However 2 years ago I sold a rare item for £100 to a collector know to me. I sent it Special Delivery and it didn't arrive. My mate is a postman and says no postman dare take a SD letter/parcel. The view from the Royal Mail was that they delivered it, on a Saturday morning and the postman knew the recipient and just put it through the letter box without getting a signature. The recipient was adamant it was not received. However I eventually got my refund and I passed this to the buyer of the programme.

Bearing in mind the buyer said he'd not received the item, he got his money back and was missing the programme. But when another copy turned up a few months late he wasn't among the bidders? And it only went for £60 that time.

I tend to believe the Royal Mail on that one and even a well know programme dealer friend of mine said the buyer was 'at it'.

What is worrying is that how can we now get recompense on valuable items , is fully insured via a courier the better option?

[Wullie]

I've had customers beg me to sign items for them , as they don't want a 8 mile journey to pick up an item. Basically , you don't do it . Full stop , to stay clear of trouble. That's the official line. No arguments. Of course , you know someone well enough , they are trustworthy, but you still playing with fire. You get a valuable item put through the door. You didn't sign for it. You're a bit short of cash ????? Who knows.

[martino]

John, A bit of a long shot but would a letter to the local paper help? It may uncover other residents who have had the same problem.