Bexley Crime stats ward summary Sep 2026

 

Source: Bexley Watch Viz

Don't Let 'Porch Pirates' Steal Your Festive Cheer: Lessons from Channel 5

If you caught Matt Allwright and consumer champion Harry Kind on Channel 5 (aired friday 9 Oct 2026), you’ll know a familiar autumn and winter nightmare was top of the agenda: porch piracy.

With October kicking off prime shopping season for Halloween costumes, autumn decor, and early Christmas presents, doorstep delivery theft is surging. Thieves know deliveries peak between October and December, leaving unattended doorstep parcels as prime targets for opportunistic grabs.

Here is a comprehensive breakdown of consumer rights, who is legally liable when a parcel goes missing, and actionable advice from Neighbourhood Watch to keep your deliveries safe this season.

Consumer Rights & Legal Liability: Who Is Responsible?

When a parcel is stolen or lost from your doorstep, courier companies often try to fob consumers off, and retailers may claim "it shows as delivered". Under UK law, the rules surrounding contractual obligations and risk transfer are clear.

1. Your Legal Contract is with the Retailer, NOT the Courier

When you buy an item online, your legal contract is strictly with the retailer who sold you the goods—not the courier company delivering them.

• Do not get passed back and forth: The retailer cannot force you to deal directly with Evri, DPD, Royal Mail, or Amazon Logistics. It is the retailer’s responsibility to deal with their chosen delivery provider.

2. Physical Possession & Risk Transfer (Section 29, Consumer Rights Act 2015)

Under Section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods remain at the trader’s risk until they come into the physical possession of either you or a person identified by you to take possession of the goods.

• Doorstep Photos Are NOT Legal Proof of Delivery: A driver taking a photo of a box sitting on your door mat or doorstep does not constitute physical delivery to you. Unless you explicitly gave permission for that location, it remains an uncompleted delivery.

• If left on a doorstep without consent and stolen, the retailer must provide a full refund or a replacement.

3. The "Nominated Safe Place" Trap

Be careful when selecting delivery preferences in courier apps:

• If you explicitly nominate a safe place (e.g., "leave in the shed" or "behind the wheelie bin"), the legal risk transfers to you the moment the driver leaves the parcel there.

• If it is subsequently stolen from a designated safe place, the retailer is generally no longer legally liable. Only nominate places that are genuinely secure.

What Payment Protections Do You Have?

If a retailer refuses to issue a refund for an unauthorized doorstep drop, you can leverage payment protections:

• Section 75 (Consumer Credit Act 1974): For purchases paid by credit card over £100 (up to £30,000), your credit card provider is jointly liable with the seller. You can submit a Section 75 claim directly through your bank.

• Chargeback Scheme: For debit card transactions or purchases under £100 on a credit card, file a Chargeback dispute through your bank within 120 days of the purchase date.

Neighbourhood Watch & Community Prevention Advice

Neighbourhood Watch networks across the UK emphasize that community vigilance and smart habits are the most effective ways to deter opportunistic thieves during the peak festive shopping period.

Community & Vigilance Guidelines

1. Coordinate with Neighbours: Build a agreement with trusted neighbours to collect each other’s parcels when someone is out. Specify a named, trusted neighbour directly in your delivery app options.

2. Join Local WhatsApp or Watch Schemes: Share alerts about suspicious vehicles or individuals following delivery vans down suburban streets. Porch pirates frequently tail couriers and grab packages within minutes of a drop-off.

3. Report Every Incident: Research shows only a fraction of doorstep thefts are reported to the police. Always report thefts via 101 or your local police web portal to help build crime mapping intelligence in your area.

4. Never Leave Parcels Visible from the Road: If expecting a delivery while away, ask a neighbour or relative to move visible packages inside so criminals don't spot an empty home.

Essential Crime Prevention Checklist

Measure	How It Protects You
Secure Lockers & PUDO	Eliminate doorstep drops altogether using Amazon Lockers, InPost Lockers, or DPD/Evri Pickup points.
Smart Video Doorbells	Gives motion alerts and allows real-time two-way audio to instruct drivers to hold or redirect parcels.
Locked Smart Boxes	Install a bolted, secure parcel drop-box requiring a one-time passcode for drivers.
Workplace Delivery	Direct packages to your place of work during standard business hours.

Step-by-Step Action Plan If Your Package Is Stolen

1. Obtain Proof: Download doorbell or CCTV footage showing the delivery and any subsequent theft.

2. File a Police Report: Obtain a Police Crime Reference Number online or via 101. This holds significant weight when dealing with resistant sellers.

3. Notify the Seller in Writing: Request a full refund or replacement citing Section 29 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015. State clearly that the item was not delivered into your physical possession and no safe place was authorized.

4. Escalate to Bank Protection: If the seller refuses to comply, initiate a Chargeback or Section 75 claim with your card provider.

Porch pirates: top tips (click to view enlarged)

What to do immediately after a data breach

This year has seen several high-profile organisations fall victim to hackers. Just this week, online fashion brand Asos confirmed that some customers' 'basic personal information' has been accessed by criminals. We reveal the steps you should immediately take if you become aware that an organisation has lost your personal data. Find out how to protect yourself and, in some cases, claim compensation following a data breach. Source: Which? (07 Oct 2026)

A confusing debit card scam

We recently helped someone whose phone alerted him to two mystery debit card charges in Dubai totalling £3,850. His bank cards were safely tucked away in his gym locker, but scammers still used them to make Chip and Pin payments in the Middle East.

When he reported the fraud to his bank, HSBC refused to reimburse him. Find out what happened when our expert stepped in and how this sophisticated scam really works.

Source: Which? (07 Oct 2026)

Blocklisted firms’ ads are still online

Adverts from firms on a regulator's 'warning list' are still appearing on social media platforms and search engines. Despite advertisers not having permission from the FCA to promote financial services in the UK, this hasn't stopped big tech firms like Meta and Google from taking their money and pushing their ads out to the public.

Read our full investigation and what the tech companies have to say about this.

Source: Which? (07 Oct 2026)

🎃 No Trick or Treat Posters 🎃

🎃 Halloween is fast approaching!

While many families enjoy taking part in trick-or-treating, we understand that not everyone feels comfortable answering their door, particularly as the evenings become darker.

To help make your preference clear, we have ‘No Trick or Treat’ Halloween posters available for residents to display on their front doors. These signs can help indicate that you would prefer to not be disturbed.

We will be distributing these posters at our weekly contact sessions at Bexley Library. Alternatively, they are attached to this post and can be printed at home for your convenience.

Thank you for helping us make Halloween enjoyable and respectful for everyone in our community. 👻 

Attachments

NoTrick or Treat 1.pdf

NoTrick or Treat 2.pdf

Source: https://www.metengage.co.uk/Alerts/A/504378/No-Trick-or-Treat-Posters

Watch Out for the "Geek Squad" Renewal Email Scam

Greek Squad email scam

Have you recently received an email confirming a direct debit or card charge for a software renewal you never asked for? You aren't alone. A widespread tech support refund scam is currently circulating, targeting UK inbox addresses.

Here is a breakdown of how this scam works, what to look out for, and how to protect yourself.

How the Scam Works

The email claims that your "Geek Squad Internet Security Plan" has automatically renewed and that a payment—often around $434—has been successfully taken via auto-debit.

It explicitly includes a warning: If you did not authorise this transaction, you have 24 hours to contact customer support for an immediate refund.

This payment is completely fake. No money has actually left your account. The scammers intentionally create fake financial panic so that you immediately ring the "Help Desk" number listed in the email.

If you call the number:

1. The scammer pretends to be a customer service representative helping you cancel the subscription.

2. They will ask you to download remote-access software (such as AnyDesk or TeamViewer) to "process your refund" on your device.

3. Once inside your computer or phone, they will attempt to access your online banking or lock your device until you pay them real money.

Key Dead Giveaways to Spot

Even though the email looks official at first glance, several red flags expose it as a fraud:

• Contradictory Branding: The top of the email claims to be from Geek Squad, but the small print at the bottom reads "Copyright, 2026 Windows Defender"—two completely unrelated companies.

• Sent from a Personal Email: Official receipts come from company domains. This message came from an individual's personal email account rather than an official Best Buy or Geek Squad domain.

• Artificial Urgency: Demanding action within "24 hours" is a classic pressure tactic designed to stop you from thinking clearly or double-checking.

• Generic Greetings: It addresses the recipient by their email address rather than their actual name.

• Dollar Billing: For UK targets, receiving an invoice in US Dollars ($) for a local service is a clear sign of an automated international scam.

What to Do If You Receive This Email

1. Do NOT call the telephone number listed in the email.

2. Do NOT reply or click any links inside the message.

3. Check your actual bank account: Log in via your official mobile banking app or internet banking. You will see that no such transaction has taken place.

4. Report and Delete: Mark the message as phishing or spam in your email provider, then delete it.

If you ever accidentally fall for one of these scams or give out banking details, contact your bank immediately using the phone number on the back of your debit or credit card, or call 159 (the UK's direct hotline to bank fraud departments). You can also report phishing scams in the UK to Action Fraud (actionfraud.police.uk).