Police warn shoppers to stop doorstep deliveries and use click and collect after thousands of parcels stolen

A PARCEL theft epidemic has led police to warn shoppers to abandon doorstep deliveries and click and collect instead.

Packages left outside homes are making easy pickings for opportunists especially in the frantic run-up to Christmas.

Thousands of deliveries are reported to be going astray, with little hope of recovering them. The situation is so bad that police forces across the country are issuing warnings.

In Camden, North London, cops advise abandoning doorstep deliveries completely, saying: “Choose click and collect so you can collect your parcel from a secure location.”

Almost one billion ­parcels will be shipped to homes between now and December 25 — with Royal Mail set to deliver 500 million alone.

Amazon, DPD and Hermes drivers are ­racing to drop-off a gift every 150 seconds.

It often means the precious parcels are left on doorsteps and driveways.

Even those left with neighbours are hard to locate as drivers can be reluctant to leave notes because of Covid fears.

Hundreds of victims have taken to social media to complain about thefts. Roger Pluck of Harlow, Essex, has started a campaign to find his Hermes parcel.

He said: “It is time the company started taking complaints seriously.”

Research by Pack Send shows that Thames Valley is the worst-hit area.
Deputy Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman, of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said the pandemic was likely to have made the problem much worse.

She said: “With a stronger drive to shop online, it has presented thieves an opportunity to target parcels.

“But this type of crime is preventable and we’re asking everyone to do all that they can to stop this crime happening.”