I was out this morning, i left the front door unlocked (hey it's a quiet area and it saves hunting for keys when the postman comes), so i guess ultimately i can't really complain. M was at home running a bath, she said she heard a knock at the door and went down stairs in her dressing gown. Some "Home Delivery Network" Driver on behalf of Amazon had let himself in to drop off a package.
I'm fuming about it. It's proving impossible to get in touch with them to send the driver back round today. I guess i should just let it go, but i feel like knocking this guys head off.
I can see already i'm over reacting but that's just not on in my book, i'd never dream of opening someone's front door and wandering in.
Ahhh, vented a bit, feel better already :-)
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Shotgun up nose.
"may I help you?"
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How far into the house did he wander? Was it just far enough to drop off the parcel just inside the front door? Was a signature required? Personally I would have applauded his ingenuity in trying the door. It can be really inconvenient to have to arrange for a second delivery attempt.
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Are you sure its not the wife setting up a cover story just in case she's caught ;-)
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He could have put the delivery in your dustbin and put a card through your door to notify you of its wherabouts....... just before the bin men arrived. :-)
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Or did what mine did yesterday, left cardboard box of wine round the side of the porch first thing just after I'd gone to work and just before we had a day of biblical proportion deluges. Came home to find 12 bottles of wine surrounded by a large lump of mostly papier-maiche.......
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You're luck to have come home to the papier-maiche And the wine.
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Are you sure its not the wife setting up a cover story just in case she's caught ;-)
Yes did she seem really pleased he'd come?
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Driver knocked, could possibly hear someone in house, tries door, goes in. I'd do the same.
If your wife had fallen in the bath or taken ill, and he'd found her, you'd have been singing his praises instead of moaning about it; if he'd left a card in the letterbox and taken the delivery back you'd probably be moaning that he should have waited till your wife came down. No pleasing some people.
These guys have hundreds of deliveries to do each day.
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Haha M could do better than the delivery driver if she wanted to stray :-)
If he really wanted to be helpful, he'd find a large plastic box round the back with a secure water tight lid. Works every other time.
If it were up to me, i'd reserve white van man for those who opt to use him at checkout time (not mobile? work from home?) and just leave my packages at a 24 hour depot off the motorway well out of town (cheap large facilities, easy access from *miles* around) and i'll collect from there.
Anyway, over it now. Maybe a bit over sensitive this morning.
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...and just leave my packages at a 24 hour depot off the motorway well out of town (cheap large facilities, easy access from *miles* around) and i'll collect from there...
You may have something there.
I would buy more things online, but am put off by delivery difficulties.
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Good scheme, ON. My neighbour has one of those tin letterboxes on the wall outside the front door Took out her letters one morning and then went out.
The following morning she took out her mail again.....there was a note from delivery firm to the effect they had left a parcel for her in the blue, paper bin.
It had been emptied at lunchtime the previous day after the parcel had been left ! Smart bit of work, eh ?
Ted
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>> M was at home running a bath, she said she heard a knock at the door and went down stairs in her dressing gown.
Had it been the blind man, would she have gone down starkers?
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Just lock the door if you're that worried...
I wouldn't mind so much a delivery man doing it, though round here they just leave it with the neighbours, but one guy I did object to was a salesman who ignored the sign saying we don't speak to salesmen unless they have an appointment and opened the door and shouted in... I did give him a piece of my mind!
Last edited by: hobby on Sat 15 Jan 11 at 16:56
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MiL, about 90 at the time, was in the kitchen, she lived next door to us, with the back door open. A man wandered round the back and came in the house, looking round and going upstairs.
Fortunately for him, I was out at the time.
Nothing was taken, I think he'd been let out of somewhere, but it gave us all a wake up call.
Within a week I'd made 6 ft gates across both driveways between our houses.
I still don't like leaving the gates open for long. I have a bell for mates to get me out of the garage ..or they just ring my mobile.
Ted
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>>Had it been the blind man, would she have gone down starkers?
He could've remarked on the puppies and asked where to put the blinds. ;>)
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And said "I can see you were expecting me" ...
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I sent flowers to my mother last October via Marks & Spencer's website. I was a bit surprised that she didn't call to thank me after a week had passed. I finally got a call to say she'd found the flowers in the paper recycling bin when she was throwing the papers out. The twot-faced bar steward delivery richard head hadn't bothered to push a card through the door to say that he'd delivered them or where they were.
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I've done plenty of domestic deliveries, and I have never, ever, entered a customer's dwelling without being invited. If I'd knocked/rang and was fairly sure someone was in the house but couldn't hear me (toilet flushing, loud music etc) I'd just knock a bit harder.
Under no circumstances should a delivery driver have let himself into your hallway.
Last edited by: VxFan on Sat 15 Jan 11 at 20:51
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I must admit I've let myself in if the front door was open and I had no reply. I never enter a room though, just into the hall and rap on an inner door. When it's an elderly customer you can often hear the TV blaring from three houses away so you know they are hard of hearing if they don't respond to the bell or knocker.
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There have been times when me and my mates have approached a front door and got no reply. We've usually knocked again and waited a bit and if no reply we've smashed the door in and let ourselves in.
But the house was usually on fire and we had the firms truck out front complete with it's complement of ladders and hoses.
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I should have added, whenever we've tried the trick without the truck out the front, we got arrested for breaking and entering.
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>> I should have added, whenever we've tried the trick without the truck out the front,
>> we got arrested for breaking and entering.
>>
Or got the wrong house. :-)
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He'd have been on his backside tout suite with 17.75 stone sat atop him.
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This is a difficult one and it all depends on the individual situation.
Some houses have a porch or hallway that are often left unlocked.
We get many parcels delivered, we have an outside parcel/post box (no letter box, our decision) but things that don't fit in there often get left hidden for us as the drivers know they are quite safe here.
It works for us and the parcel delivery lads cos they've got more drops than Santa.
They'd have to knock the house down before we would hear them anyway.
Lesson, don't leave the door unlocked, it might have been someone up to no good.
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>> Lesson, don't leave the door unlocked, it might have been someone up to no good.
>>
And it will be one day.
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May have been a chancer hoping to lift phone, laptop or whatever. Very odd way to conduct business.
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>> May have been a chancer hoping to lift phone, laptop or whatever
I used to work with a chap who would have a couple of mobile phones a week to sell. His story was that they would get dropped on the back seat of his cab, and whilst he wouldn't report them to the office he would always "find" them again if the customer called to ask after them.
I had maybe two phones a year left in my car, and without fail the customer would be on the phone to chase them within the hour. I reckon this guy was lifting them from tables (and possibly pockets and bags) in pubs and restaurants. He still works on the cabs as far as I'm aware.
Last edited by: Dave_TD {P} on Sat 15 Jan 11 at 22:31
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>> Some houses have a porch or hallway that are often left unlocked
What I used to do was, if the porch was obviously a recent add-on with the old front door still present inside it, was slide open the door to the porch and knock on the original front door.
I never set foot inside the porch for longer than it took to knock/ring the bell though, and waited outside on the path for an answer.
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SWMBO was on the 'phone to her sister:
Sister. There's someone at the door, two blokes, they say they're fireman.
SWMBO. Ask to see their identity.
Sister. I'm on the 'phone to my sister and she's said I should check your ID. They say they don't carry ID, but they've got this big red truck.............
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op is lucky he doesnt have a dangerous dog that bit the delivery man that sued him for damages ;-)
top tip as said lock door in future if you knows whats best for youes and wifey ;-)
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>op is lucky he doesnt have a dangerous dog that bit the delivery man that sued him for damages ;-)
>top tip as said lock door in future if you knows whats best for youes and wifey ;-)
Wifey was victim to a stalker a few years ago. She spotted him and foiled the little creep trying to follow her driving home from the supermarket. Unsurprisingly, she's mindfull of personal security.
If she discovered a delivery man entering our home uninvited he'd be wishing that he'd opened the door to a pack of starving, rabid rottweilers.
He'd have more chance of retreating uninjured ;-)
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I was in this large conglomerate hotel opposite Euston station (I won't say what, 'cos I've never had a HOLIDAY IN a foreign place before - as the late John Peel said).
Some guy let himself into our room with his key-card, just as SWMBO stepped out of the shower (fortunately for him she'd got a towel around her - big towel).
I felt (reasonably in my mind) incensed by this occurrence and complained to the front desk at the same time as the guy was.
Management said how much they emphasis they put on security. I laughed and upset her -she cried!
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Delivery drivers and postmen often do that if they have a larger item or something to sign for, and they usually either shout or just leave it on the kitchen table.
What do you want - one of those irritating "We called but you were out" cards?
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This thread is a bit of an eye-opener; I'm surprised just how laid back people can be in terms of their personal security.
Our doors are kept locked at all times, and always have been. When we are out, parcels and packages are left with neighbours and a note put through our letterbox to that effect.
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I'm surprised just how laid back people
>> can be in terms of their personal security.
Having re-read this, I do wonder if the response might be partly influenced by where we live, or perhaps where we come from?
I originate from a small Nottinghamshire village, where everyone knew each other. The delivery people(postie, butcher, milkman etc) were all regulars as well, outsiders were easily spotted. Most people who come from a younger generation would not have experienced that, and nor would anyone who's lived in an urban environment. Many don't even know who their neighbours are, never mind seeing the same postie two days running. With that and the prevalence of lowlifes seeking to fund their next fix of drugs, it's no wonder some people do get uptight; I confess that when I do go to stay in towns I have to seriously up my awareness, and remember not to leave car keys etc lying around.
In rural Wales, where I live now, a common method of knowing if someone is in on farms will be the presence of a bunch of keys, either in the back door of the house (yes, on the outside!) or in the ignition of the Land-Rover. If only we could all be like that, and know we'd be safe. :(
Last edited by: Harleyman on Mon 17 Jan 11 at 09:47
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...I originate from a small Nottinghamshire village, where everyone knew each other...
The same is true of the (now former) pit villages in County Durham, despite some of them having a population of thousands.
Many of the older folk, used to the 'open door' policy, have been taken by surprise by the speedy spread of the drug culture - and consequent acquisitive crime - from the urban areas.
I remember talking to a Durham copper who said it wasn't so long ago that drugs only happened in the big cities, none of which are in the North East.
Drugs are now present in every community, large or small, to a greater or lesser extent.
Many of the burglaries I see at the court are 'walk-ins' - victims who have left the back door unlocked.
Going back to the OP, there have been cases of people being upstairs, getting ready to go out, who come downstairs to find the telly is missing.
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tregaran used to be like that but unfortunately not any more Harleyman,shame isnt, it but i quite remember staying there quite often 10+ years ago and nearly every car parked still had the keys in the ignition,now i stay in even smaller villages when i go wild, yet i still see feral yooth running wild in their diesel cars and littering without tent
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Just smiling to myself at your post Harleyman. When we lived in ( very ) rural Scotland I used to get fairly regular deliveries from Parcelforce and UPS. We had a bit of a rambling ramshackle place with outbuildings and such. Resultantly, it wasn't always the case that anyone was within sight or sound of the main house.
Over the years it became the coffee stop for delivery drivers and it wasn't too unusual to return to the main building to find a truck outside the house and one of our parcel delivery guys in the kitchen making himself a cuppa.
It didn't seem odd at the time but I can't imagine anyone where we live now being at peace with that. Naively, it wouldn't really bother me now if I knew the guy. We're still not marvelously good at remembering to lock house doors, windows and cars when we should.
Must try harder I suppose, we'll no doubt get a comeuppance one day.
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Appearance work in reverse in the countryside.
If a burglar turned up at our house and found the door locked he would know it was safe to break in and there wouldn't be anyone to notice for miles around, and he would hear the noise of our car returning.
If he found the door wide open he would know there was someone around, in the house or outside. And I would have heard his car pull up.
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When my parents first started coming to visit us here in Munich they were surprised at the lack of home security compared to the UK. No burglar alarms on either buildings or cars, no security locks on the windows, patio doors left wide open during the Summer, convertibles parked in the street all day with the hoods down. 10 years later it's still like that. I hope it remains so, but it probably won't.
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We're on first name terms with the Postie here - he's reliable and I would trust him (he has a spaniel and motor bike) - It wouldn't occur to him to walk into the house I don't think - he left a package this afternoon with a neighbour despite having left a collection card.
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Our postie in Scotland was a car buff. He was also a driving instructor too. He was doing up a Chevy Camaro when he wasn't posting things or teaching. He used to wander in and out like most visitors and make his own brew and drink it while conversing with my feet if I was under my Westfield for some reason. The local copper was a car nut too. He had an ex-rally prepped Escort Mk2 which he still entered into amateur stuff. Drove like the wind if he was off duty. At least he had the grace to only nick speeders if he had his uniform on. The rest of the time he'd race them. One of the local farm hands had an original Audi Quattro. You could hear him coming from the other side of the valley.
I miss that part of my life. It's all a bit John Lewis and Daily Mail round here.
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It's all a bit John Lewis and Daily Mail round here.
I get that impression of some places I visit these days - it's a bit more Spar and the Caernarfon and Denbigh this way - which suits me.
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>> it while conversing with my feet if I was under my Westfield
You had a Westfield?
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Didn't really like to mention it.
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This thread has just reminded me of a story my mum once told me.
Many years ago we lived on a farm, in South Bucks, in those days doors weren't locked here.
She got home to find a delivery man sat in the kitchen, with the our dog sat nearby.
He had been there a few hours..
.... seems the dog had let him in, but wouldn't let him out.......
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A former colleague of mine had a similar experience in a friend's house in Kenya as a kid - the lovely cuddly Rhodesian Ridgeback let him in but wouldn't let him out !
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We brought our german shepherd dog back from Kenya when we came back to the UK.
When our UK house was built there were a few snagging issues to finish off, and our dog had been really friendly with the joiners doing the work.
They went off the lunch, but when they came back there was the urgent but hushed call from the back garden - one of them had come in the back gate, the gate had closed behind him and the dog was snarling a centimetre from his privates. The dog was really pleased with herself!
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>>>The local copper was a car nut....... At least he had the grace to only nick speeders if he had his uniform on. The rest of the time he'd race them.
Ahh... like a mod we knew in a previous life!
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Had a stint doing multi-drop for the Home Delivery Network a year or two back. There's no official guidance on doing anything, so it's down to best judgement.
You'd be astonished at the number of people who pay for next day delivery and then aren't in to sign for it, and students are another PITA as they're always in bed when you try to deliver.
Regarding entering someone's house... would never dream of this. Having said that, if they had a clearly separate porch then I would usually try to stick the parcel in there if the door was unlocked, and failing that, it went with the neighbours.
Depends whether you consider the porch area to be "inside" the house. I reasoned that if they'd left it unlocked but weren't in, they probably expected things to be left in it.
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I consider the porch to be outside the house and would be happy to have parcels left in that area. But the front door and beyond is definitely out of bounds.
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>> But the front door and beyond is definitely out of
>> bounds.
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Quite so. The tradesman's entrance is at the back.
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We still don't know how far into the house the delivery driver wandered. Was is just inside the front door or was it signifidantly further? As far as I'm concerned this is the crux of the matter.
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yes did he get as far as the hob nobs?
;-)
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I noticed a postie doing this on a street near me recently and was quite taken aback. He knocked, opened the door , shouted 'post' and put a package down on the floor, then shut the door and continued.
I'm not saying he was wrong to do it, it just surprised me. It seemed a bit like a flashback to 50's England that we hear about! (leaving your doors open etc..)
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It seems to me there is a total divide, here on the forum, and across Britain. To some of you, this is outrageous. To others, such as myself, it seems absolutely obvious it was acceptable and I really cannot see what the fuss is about.
All sorts of people wander into our house - postman, delivery drivers, meter reader, someone delivering the new phone book opens the door and hurls it in, the builders and various contractors have recently been making themselves coffee, etc.
Equally we pop into other people's houses, leave them notes, vegetable, or return borrowed items on the kitchen table if they are out somewhere.
If this is 1950s England, then there is a wacking great chunk of a foreign field here in Wales that is forever stuck there. But it's sad to find oneself an exile from a country that appears not to exist any more.
Last edited by: Cliff Pope on Wed 19 Jan 11 at 14:37
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>> If this is 1950s England, then there is a wacking great chunk of a foreign
>> field here in Wales that is forever stuck there. But it's sad to find oneself
>> an exile from a country that appears not to exist any more.
>>
This was one of the reasons which prompted my "exile", Cliff. I spoke to my late parents' neighbours in Nottinghamshire a couple of days ago; they're in their late 70's and have lived there for nearly 50 years. Much of the conversation centred around the sad fact that many people who move to English villages simply do not want to get involved in the village way of life, which is as you describe.
It's hardly what you'd call progress is it?
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Delivery Driver Wandered in House - Ian (Cape Town)
