Residents in Netherton, Merseyside, have discovered the reason behind their missing parcels this festive season, leading to the dismissal of an Evri delivery driver for theft. Local families expressed their frustration after receiving delivery confirmations, including photographs of parcels left at their doors, only to find the packages missing upon arrival.
Through collective investigative efforts, the community uncovered CCTV footage that confirmed their suspicions. The video depicted an Evri courier failing to knock on doors or ring doorbells before placing parcels at the entrance, subsequently taking the packages with him after photographing them.
Evri has confirmed that the courier involved in these incidents is no longer employed by the company, reinforcing its commitment to a “zero-tolerance policy towards behaviour of this kind.”
Community Reaction and Impact
Sharon Woodford, a local resident, shared her distress after ordering a pair of bracelets for her daughter and niece, both aged 13, for Christmas at a cost of £80. Despite receiving a delivery confirmation on November 17, the photograph provided showed the parcel at a neighbor’s door. Security footage later revealed the courier placing the parcel down, taking a photo, and then leaving with it.
Woodford explained the broader implications of this theft, stating, “Imagine how many people are missing parcels at Christmas. A lot of people don’t have a lot of money. Some won’t be able to afford to replace missing presents.”
Another resident, Chloe Harrison-King, aged 22, captured similar footage of the same courier taking her parcel of clothes. She expressed her disillusionment, saying, “I’ve got no faith left in humanity at all.”
Widespread Issues and Concerns
Former soldier Derek Wood, 55, highlighted the prevalence of the issue in the Netherton area. He remarked, “Are they called Evri because every parcel is going missing?” Wood described a troubling experience where he found his flask parcel delivered by Evri had been ripped open and the contents removed. “At this time of year, a lot of people will be ordering Christmas presents, and sometimes you haven’t got the time to replace them,” he added. “Stress levels will be going through the roof.”
An Evri spokesperson addressed the situation, stating, “Every parcel matters to us. We have a zero-tolerance policy towards behaviour of this kind, and the courier will no longer be delivering on behalf of Evri. We deliver 900 million parcels each year, and the overwhelming majority of our 30,000 couriers are hard-working individuals who strive to serve their local communities and earn an average customer rating of 4.6 out of 5.”
The residents of Netherton are now left to navigate the aftermath of this incident, raising concerns about the reliability of parcel delivery services during a crucial time of year.
