November 2020 welcomed the launch of the new Playstation 5. But with its much anticipated release, it became near impossible to get your hands on one for the initial launch. So, some people took extreme measures to get hold of the console – including an Amazon delivery driver who was caught stealing a PS5 on camera.
The clip, which was shared online by Richard Walker from Launton, near Bicester, showed the driver putting the PS5 back in his van after scanning the parcel to say it was delivered.
The console, which was a sixteenth birthday present for Richard’s son, was stolen on the day of the launch. In a since deleted tweet to Amazon UK, Richard outlined how the driver had scanned the parcel before taken it back to his van.
According to the footage, a few other parcels were left at the front door, as Richard further explained on Facebook: “Today is my son’s 16th birthday and this is footage of an Amazon delivery driver stealing his birthday present which was a PlayStation 5.
“He brings 1 small package to our door and then goes back to his van and gets 2 more small packages from the front. These are the only packages that have been delivered. But the account also has the PS5 as delivered at the same time. This is because, as you can see, at 14:41:39 he gets a large parcel out of the van and then puts it back at 14:42:18. This is obviously when he scans it as delivered.
“All the parcels delivered are either on the doorstep or in his hand before he goes to the back of the van. He, therefore, has no reason to go to the back of the van apart from to get the PS5 which is then conveniently scanned but never delivered.”
To further rub salt in the wound, in response to the situation, Amazon only offered a £5 gift card to apologise for the inconvenience. Amazon later revised this, upping the gift card to £50 and offering the Walker family a full refund for the console.
Richard’s daughter took it upon herself to visit the family’s local Amazon depot and confront the site’s boss with the CCTV of the driver. Through the video they were able to identify the driver, who has since been sacked by the company.
Although Richard’s wife, Jenni, says she never intended for the driver to get into trouble, their main priority is trying to find a replacement console for their son. But with the demand for the PS5 being so high, that may take months.
