LONDON, Jan 26, 2026, 11:47 (GMT)
- DPD confirmed it pulled a driver following a customer’s video that seemed to capture a botched iPhone delivery
- The customer reported that although a photo was logged as proof of delivery, the phone never arrived at the address.
- Giffgaff stated the delivery proof failed to meet its criteria; police have confirmed that a report was filed
DPD confirmed it has suspended a delivery driver after home security footage went viral, showing the courier apparently marking a high-value iPhone as delivered before walking off with the package. 1
This matters because “proof of delivery”—a photo or signature confirming delivery—is frequently the sole evidence in missing parcel disputes. When expensive phones are at stake, the situation escalates quickly: customer, courier, retailer, then police.
This comes as more electronics are delivered directly to doorsteps, with an increasing number of customers keeping cameras trained on their packages. That means errors—or worse—are tougher to ignore.
Samuel Taylor, 20, ordered a £1,264 iPhone 17 Pro Max from Giffgaff but got a photo on Jan. 19 from DPD showing the parcel supposedly slipped through his letterbox. However, Taylor’s home camera caught the driver walking away still clutching the package. He reported the incident to Greater Manchester Police. DPD responded by saying the driver has been “removed from the business,” while Giffgaff called the “proof of delivery” invalid and refunded Taylor’s deposit. 2
The Daily Mail picked up the story in recent days, as the clip went viral beyond just local social media channels. 3
DPD has not named the driver. According to British reports, the company’s statement didn’t mention if the phone was found.
Yet a key uncertainty lingers: police investigations often drag on and don’t always result in charges, while missing high-value items aren’t guaranteed to turn up. For DPD and retailers, every disputed delivery carries the threat of refunds, complaints, and the possibility of copycat claims.
DPD UK belongs to Geopost, the parcel division of France’s La Poste Groupe, running nationwide networks that handle hundreds of millions of parcels annually, Geopost said. 4
The company is battling it out in a packed British parcel market alongside Royal Mail and Evri, a private player that has expanded rapidly thanks to Amazon’s delivery network, the Financial Times reported. 5
