CCTV shows HelloFresh customers targeted in ‘recurring’ problem
Frustrated Aussies have detailed a series of similar incidents being carried out across Sydney.
Frustrated HelloFresh customers have hit out at brazen thieves who continue stealing boxes filled with groceries from outside homes.
The latest victim in a string of food delivery thefts is Sydney woman Hannah who begged people in her neighbourhood to "please stop stealing my HelloFresh".
"It’s happened to us a few times. Always at around 5am," she told Yahoo News Australia, three days after her groceries were swiped from her Bondi home on Monday morning.
"We have camera footage, but it's different people [every time]. We have asked HelloFresh to drop it around the side out of sight but [they don't]".
CCTV captures 'recurring' problem
Photos taken from CCTV footage show a woman approaching Hannah's property before crouching down and picking up the box. "This is becoming a recurring thing," Hannah said in a local Facebook group. She also asked if others had experienced it too, and to her surprise, some had.
As a result, Hannah has changed from night time delivery to day. "Hopefully, it doesn’t happen again seeing as you would have to be bold to do that in daylight," she told Yahoo.
Frustrated, Hannah contacted HelloFresh who offered her a credit. NSW Police told Yahoo they've had no reports of this incident or any similar incidents.
HelloFresh told Yahoo that "these occurrences do happen" and when they do, "we are always very happy to contribute to any investigation that may occur," a spokesperson said. "We are sorry to hear that the customer has been affected in this way as we pride ourselves in making every part of their experience topnotch," they added.
Other suburbs also targeted in ongoing thefts
Residents in Sydney's Zetland have been targeted too. In May, one resident told Yahoo "it's a big, big problem in the area" after someone had "gone through [the box] and taken all of our groceries for the week" — and it wasn't the first time, he claimed.
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The ongoing trend has riled many HelloFresh customers, but others were more sympathetic, noting the soaring cost of living.
"I just hope whoever you are, you are hungry and need that food," said one. Meanwhile, another wrote, "In Australia there is no reason to be stealing food, we have so many services".
The growing trend comes as Aussies continue to grapple with rising food prices and financial strain. Australian supermarkets are also experiencing a surge in shoplifting — and it's thought that tougher economic conditions, such as increasing grocery prices and growing housing costs, are to blame.
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