A Christmas Grinch who stole a woman’s Boohoo package after she left it beneath a wheelie bin outside her front door was seen on surveillance footage last week perpetrating the theft.
Recovery practitioner Nikola Howell from Fulbourne Road, Walthamstow, London, shared surveillance footage of a man in all-black entering her yard and removing the item seconds afterwards.
Ms. Howell was assisting her stepfather at the time the gift was delivered and was expecting it for her mother, who was hospitalized with kidney difficulties.
It comes after Labour MP Carolyn Harris criticized Evri last week, stating that families were enduring “Christmas anguish” due to the company losing or delaying delivery.
The Evri courier dragged one of Ms. Howell’s wheelie bins across the yard before concealing the item underneath it.
Footage reveals the Evri delivery man passing past the front gate and immediately bringing a wheelie bin across the front yard to the front door, where he conceals the gift beneath it.
The delivery contained four things costing £35, including trousers, a sweater, and two shirts.
Throughout the duration of the film, the delivery driver never knocked or rang the doorbell, and he left as swiftly as he arrived.
Moments later, though, a second man enters the yard and removes the package from behind the trash can.
He quickly entered and exited the yard while wearing a hooded coat to conceal his identity.
Ms. Howell stated, “He neither rang the doorbell nor knocked on the door.”
“He entered the property, drew my green trashcan, placed it in front of my door, and left the package.”
“It seemed as though a target had been placed on my door.” He presented it at 1:29 p.m., and it was taken at 1:42 p.m. due to his foolishness.
He could have asked a neighbor to accept the item or left it by the trash can.
Ms. Howell states that her Evri account indicated that the package was delivered just after 9 p.m., despite the fact that she was at home at the time.
Ms. Howell criticized the courier for placing the trash can in front of her door, stating that it made her residence a “target.”
Minutes after the delivery, the robber approached Ms. Howell’s front door while wearing a hooded coat to conceal his identity.
He snatched the package from beneath the recycling bin and vanished within seconds.
After leaving Ms. Howell’s property, the man carried the package down the road as if it were his own.
Ms. Howell reported on her CCTV tape how the man was ‘concealing his identity’ and appeared to know ‘just where to find the parcel.’
She further explained that Evri did not mark the box as delivered until hours after it was stolen.
In recent weeks, Evri, formerly known as Hermes, has received harsh online criticism from customers.
Last week, the Swansea East Labour MP criticized the corporation.
During a session of questions linked to the business of the Commons, Ms. Harris stated, “Many individuals across the United Kingdom are facing Christmas misery as a result of Evri’s delayed or lost online shopping deliveries.”
“After voicing my concerns about this company on social media, I have been inundated with stories of late or lost packages, no or poor customer service, drivers earning less than the national living wage, drivers’ pay being withheld, and a pitiful gasoline allowance that is insufficient to cover increased fuel costs.
A classic example of corporate avarice at the expense of employee wellbeing and customer service.
After viewing the surveillance film, Ms. Howell called Boohoo and the courier Evri regarding the theft.
Since then, Boohoo has reimbursed her order and given her a £15 coupon, while Evri has refunded her £30 as a “goodwill gesture” and contacted the local courier management.
A representative for Evri stated, ‘We apologized to the customer and offered them a goodwill payment to cover the cost of the package.
In addition, the sender has arranged for a refund.
“We instruct our couriers on what constitutes a safe location, and we have followed up with the relevant courier.”
Security and fraud prevention are taken very seriously by Evri.
We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as our colleagues across the country work tirelessly to ensure items are delivered safely and as quickly as possible.
The footage was captured on December 17, 2017.