Unfortunately,  this happens all the time,  items left in unsafe places for all ' eyes' to view are easy pickings for the unscrupulous!

eBay cannot help you if the seller has tracking to show delivery to your name and address,  either eBay nor the seller can be responsible where a courier leaves an item.

You can try your payment provider,  I've heard on here some have had success with home insurance,  not sure if your courier provider would be interested of the facts and can help, worth a try ?

@telboy19752 

Try appealing to eBay first, but if no joy and if you paid with a debit/credit card or ApplePay then issue a not received chargeback. They'll require better proof of delivery from the courier than a photo of a package dumped on a pub doorstep.

Items that are stolen after delivery are a regular problem on eBay (and elsewhere). As far as eBay is concerned, if the item has been delivered the seller is not liable for whatever happens to it afterwards.

Was the seller a UK business seller?

If so, the law places stricter duties on sellers than eBay does to ensure correct delivery. For £250 it would certainly be worth considering action if it was not left in a safe place.

As always, take advice first. You could consult a solicitor or ask Citizens Advice.