A customer has expressed shock and frustration after an Amazon delivery driver was recorded throwing a package from a van window onto her porch, subsequently capturing a photograph of the parcel on the ground as proof of delivery. The incident, which occurred in Scawsby, Doncaster, has highlighted concerns about delivery standards and package security.
Doorbell camera footage shows a sprinter van stopping outside a residence. The driver is seen rolling down the window and launching a parcel onto the ground in front of a car. The driver then took a photograph of the package on the pavement, apparently to confirm its delivery.
Michelle, the owner of the spiritual reading firm Minithemedium, stated that the two gift boxes she ordered were damaged as a result of the forceful delivery. "My first reaction was absolute shock. He didn't even get out of the van to deliver the parcel," she told the Daily Mail. She received a notification from Amazon indicating her package had been delivered, accompanied by the photo of the parcel near the pavement.
Upon contacting Amazon's head office to complain, Michelle was offered a refund for the damaged items. However, she reported that the customer service representative was unable to confirm whether the delivery method itself was considered acceptable. "I asked 'Do you class that as an acceptable delivery?' and he just mumbled something at me," Michelle recounted.
She raised concerns about the security of packages left in such a manner, noting that the parcel could have easily been stolen if not for her husband witnessing the delivery from their window. "With so many people pinching parcels off people's front doors, that parcel would have been an absolute goner if my husband didn't watch the delivery happen," she said. "Anyone could have just walked down the pathway and grabbed it."
Michelle emphasized that while the items were inexpensive, the principle of the delivery was unacceptable. "It's the principle of just being sat in the van and launching it," she stated. She added that with the upcoming holiday season and an increase in deliveries, she hopes for improved training for Amazon's staff.
Concerns over parcel theft, often referred to as porch piracy, have been on the rise. In 2025, an estimated £600 million worth of parcels were stolen from doorsteps in the UK, a significant increase attributed partly to the surge in online shopping. The period between October and December is particularly vulnerable due to Black Friday sales and Christmas shopping.
This incident also touches upon broader issues in the delivery industry, exacerbated by the pandemic which led to more contactless "knock and run" delivery methods. The sheer volume of parcels—4.2 billion sent and received in the UK in 2024—further strains delivery services and can lead to packages being left in exposed locations, increasing the risk of theft.