'Simple Delivery' failed, now a test case - worried

[richardb196]

Private Seller here, I sold a gold sovereign for £590 on ebay and was forced to use "Simple Delivery" as you all know. Both ebay and RM tracking show it as delivered, RM say they left it in a safe place and uploaded a photo. Seller says package has gone "missing" and he will raise a case with ebay!

I see some help pages on ebay saying I am covered for the loss but another page says gold is in the excluded list for 'Simple Delivery' even though they do not offer any other postal service.

Who is going to end up eating the loss I wonder?

Cheers

Rich

[vinylscot]

That's how it should be, but you were pretty lucky your courier agreed so readily.

Was the theft reported to the police?

[1956glyn]

Yes we did.    It was not the courier that refunded us but the company the items were purchased from...and one that is often used.      With this particular company they usually text a code that you have to give the delivery driver before they hand the item over to you due to the package value.       Obv this time that did not happen.

[insidethe93]

But the OP should of course first check. The seller (or anyone) can report the theft to the police, but should provide the victim’s details and may need the victim’s permission, depending on which police force. For instance, just the name and address of the victim may not be enough. (I think it's absurd that different police forces have different BASIC procedures!)

By "victim" I mean what the police would take to mean by "victim" i.e. in this case the buyer.

For insurance or refund purposes, a crime reference number is usually needed; and the police may require the report to be made or endorsed by the actual victim, depending on which police force.

[insidethe93]

One of my nearish neighbours where I last lived successfully reported doorstep theft not once but twice. Even more amazingly, their insurance claim was met both times, by an insurance firm notorious for being difficult.

Maybe it comes down to the difference between what you explain about 'good title' and being practical on the ground.

[nat11911]

My next door neighbour has a gnome (viewable to all and sundry and from my kitchen window), and if someone stole it I'd shake their hand! It's awful.

[dancewithadingo]

Good Afternoon Nat

If your next door neighbour's character figure went missing do you think that he could find his way Gnome? 

Dingo

[nat11911]

Ha - I hope not! I have actually considered kidnapping him, and I'm still working on it. Can't do it right now though because my neighbour is actually mowing my lawn as I type so I'd better keep him sweet for the time being. A winter holiday is quite possible though.

[kath3735_wxmjn]

Okay i will 'fess up!  My father made a couple of gnomes for my mum, many many years ago and when she died i kept them, just shoved away until a couple of years ago when i put them in our pet cemetery (no one can see them there!)  Mind you i would be annoyed if someone nicked them, i hate thieves, that is why i have no time for people making excuses for them, whether the courier should or should not have left the item by the door.

[kath3735_wxmjn]

of course that raises another issue of who is the victim?   Will the seller ultimately lose out because of the courier, the thief or the possibly dodgy buyer??  You could go round in circles on this one!

[4_bathrooms]

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@kath3735_wxmjn wrote:

of course that raises another issue of who is the victim?   

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It depends upon the decision eBay makes.

[the_book_seekers]

The victim in a theft case is the person who bares the financial loss. If ebay makes the seller refund the seller is the victim. If ebay refunds the buyer then they become the victim. If neither the seller or ebay refund then the buyer is the victim. 

[gjalp]

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@kath3735_wxmjn wrote:

I would have thought the only person that would not think of it as theft are the thieves.  I know if someone took something from my private property i would consider it theft.  What about if someone stole a gnome from your garden (I know, who has gnomes these days!), it is still theft.

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Myself and others in my area have reported a milk thief. Someone is going round stealing milk from the doorsteps. Its not ‘only milk’, its our milk that we have paid for and not a free for all. So far, any camera isn’t getting a clear enough view to identify the thief but the police have been informed, especially when there are thefts of other items in the area. Reporting can show patterns and sometimes an arrest.

[gjalp]

We’ve had the plant thefts in our area too. I now only have cheap plastic pots filled with bedding plants by the side of my front door. All others are now round the back. 

[1956glyn]

Its so frustrating that if something isnt nailed down someone will try and steal it.    I had not heard of someone stealing plants before and thats a low blow 😞     Glyn put thick cable ties on all our hanging baskets yesterday too 😞

We do live in a good part of our city and shed break ins are also rife at the minute 😞     Our sheds so alarmed everyone  would hear it for miles.    If someone wants to steal something they will 😞 

[sunflowers4me59]

I am a seedaholic and there are always too many seeds in a packet, so the extra plants I grow I put outside our gate for sale, 50p each. Even some of those will get taken.

[1956glyn]

We are currently redesigning our gardens and recently i did give away on our local FB page  ceramic large pots and loads of plants....campanula....geraniums.....big daisies.     Everything went within 45 mins.

We would happily buy your spare plants for 50p   🙂

[theelench]

I was self-employed as a gardener for 30 years.  I can recommend a deterrent against the theft of large ceramic pots, it never failed for any of my customers that used it.  About a foot or two of angle-iron with a hole drilled through it, driven into the ground.   A length of sturdy chain passed through the holes in the bottom of the pot and padlocked to the iron.  It works best if the pot is standing on small ceramic feet. 

[tressygirl]

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@insidethe93 wrote:

One of my nearish neighbours where I last lived successfully reported doorstep theft not once but twice. Even more amazingly, their insurance claim was met both times, by an insurance firm notorious for being difficult.

I often tell peeps to try their insurance to see if they are covered for doorstep theft, and get knocked down for being ridiculous!  

Good to know then it can work , so I'll Stay Calm and Carry On saying it ! 😊

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[pontyender]

"Simple Delivery is not suitable for valuable items"

Lets be honest, Simple Delivery isn't suitable for anything, the genius who thought it  up should be relegated to a job more suitable to their acumen, like office cleaner!! 😡

[*vyolla*]

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@insidethe93 wrote:

One of my nearish neighbours where I last lived successfully reported doorstep theft not once but twice. Even more amazingly, their insurance claim was met both times, by an insurance firm notorious for being difficult.

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The item would have to be of a really high value and all other line of pursuing my money failed for me to consider to an insurance claim. There'd be an excess to pay and for the next five years their household contents insurance would be loaded (they'd have to declare the claim). If they take out combined household contents and buildings insurance then that makes it even more expensive. 

It's not a matter of how easy it might be to claim, it's the expensive legacy that it leaves.