Courier service Hermes has sacked a parcel delivery man who did a poo in a customer's shed - before bagging it up and taking it away with him.
The shocking incident is the latest in a long line of nightmare stories shared by customers whose parcels have disappeared or been stolen after being left on the doorstep.
We have been contacted by two more people whose Christmas shopping has disappeared after reporting on Christmas presents which apparently went missing in the market town of Holsworthy – despite the international courier firm sending messages to customers saying they had been delivered.
But in the latest most shocking revelation one of the couriers shared that a driver has been caught on CCTV doing a poo in a customer's shed.
The Facebook post is part of a closed page set up by Hermes delivery staff themselves called Diary of a Hermes Courier about 'the daily trials of a Hermes courier and the challenges (mostly caused by Hermes) that occur'.
The post (below) by Sophie from Somerset says that it happened in neighbouring Dorset. Comments after the post claim that the incident was captured on CCTV.
It alleges that the courier 'bagged up their, erm, poo and put it in the customer's bin'.
In response to our request, a Hermes Spokesperson said: "We have apologised to the customer and provided compensation.
"The individual involved has also apologised directly and will not be delivering for Hermes again with immediate effect."
In Exeter parcels have apparently been going missing from people's doorsteps.
Police community support officers in the Cowick and St Thomas area have received reports about parcels being taken from the doorstep of homes, after a delivery driver left the packets outside when nobody was at the property.
Now Emma Swain from Exeter has contacted Devon Live to tell her Hermes 'fiasco' story. The Hermes tracking system said her parcel had been delivered - when it hadn't - and that she had signed for it - when she hadn't .
She said getting through to Hermes was a nightmare - and when she got through she was promised five times they would call before they eventually did ring and admit that they had lost her parcel. Now they say they have found it but it was given to the wrong courier in the wrong postcode
Emma said 'I couldn't make it up if I tried' after going to great lengths to list the 'fiasco caused by Hermes' she added: " I phone them this morning. Where's my parcel? Had it been abducted by aliens in the night? Today I've got another day at home, waiting to see if - miracle of all miracles - a parcel delivery company can actually manage to deliver a parcel."
And Emma Gundry from Lands Court in Brixham said she is tearing her hair out with Hermes after her month long battle to track down a £120 watch for her husband's Christmas disappeared. She is now in a new kind of hell with Hermes saying they have paid £120 to her eBay supplier in compensation but the eBay supplier is denying he has received any money and she is now trying to get Hermes to send her proof that they have paid him.
After hearing Emma Swain's story Emma Grundy said: "It actually helps me to hear I am not the only one going through this nightmare!
"It's not like it's a tenner! It's £120 and I'm trying to have faith that I will get it back so that I can still afford a Christmas present."
She has spent a month trying to find out what really happened and still has not had any compensation, despite Hermes admitting that one of its drivers had FORGED her signature (picture below) after leaving a note saying the parcel was on a side step at her house. There was no note and Emma was on a train to Bristol at the time she's supposed to have signed for the parcel.
But she says what is worse is the customer service: "Their live chat is horrific "You are 350 in a queue" I've emailed 5 times nothing back, utterly hideous customer service . I'm still waiting . Still out of pocket.
A spokesman for the company blamed the busy time of year for the issues but refused to give specifics as to what had actually happened to the parcels.
They said: "Recent heavy volumes have led to a small number of issues with certain deliveries in the Holsworthy area and we apologise to those affected.
“We are working hard to rectify this and normal service will be resumed shortly.
“We deliver 330m parcels across the UK each year and the vast majority are delivered on time and without any problems.
On the Hermes website, talking about holiday entitlement it says: “Couriers are self-employed and are not under any obligation to provide services personally. They have the unconditional right to nominate a substitute to provide services on their behalf.”
It says courier’s working hours “vary on the location of the round and the amount of parcels that round generates. On average a courier works approximately five hours a day".
In terms of the number of days worked by couriers, their website says: “You’re in charge. You can provide a service between 1 – 7 days a week depending on what you agree with us.”
Although the website does not specify the pay for couriers, it does state: “Couriers are paid on a monthly basis via BACS. All payments made by Hermes to the courier will be without deductions of things like income tax for which you are responsible."
Couriers are also not paid any mileage or fuel allowances. They are also responsible for their own vehicle insurance.
