Royal Mail blames packaging for Norwich coffee shop's missing parcels

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 13 Oct, 07:02 · Archive

Police are investigating missing coffee beans from Blue Bear Coffee Co parcels in Norwich; Royal Mail says packaging damage caused the losses.

Norwich police are continuing to investigate missing contents from parcels sent by Blue Bear Coffee Co, a coffee shop in Tombland. Police have confirmed no arrests have been made. The shop owner, Bryn Frere-Smith, reported two incidents involving hundreds of pounds' worth of coffee beans.

In September, Frere-Smith handed a postman a package containing 10kg of coffee beans valued at £340 for delivery to London. Two days later the package returned with the coffee beans missing and replaced with a sample of wood panelling. An April incident saw coffee beans worth £162 go missing from a delivery box, which was later returned empty.

Frere-Smith, a former police officer, said the September loss was the 'seventh consignment of coffee' missing over three years, costing 'thousands of pounds' that could otherwise support anti-trafficking shelters in the Dominican Republic and Uganda.

Royal Mail has completed its own investigation and concluded the packaging was damaged as parcels moved through its network, causing contents to fall out.

How it is being reported

• Royal Mail blames the packaging for shop's missing parcel contentsNorwich police are continuing their investigation into missing coffee beans from Blue Bear Coffee Co parcels.Eastern Daily Press · 13 Oct, 06:00
• Royal Mail blames the packaging for shop's missing parcel contentsNorwich police are continuing their investigation into missing coffee beans from Blue Bear Coffee Co parcels.Norwich Evening News · 13 Oct, 06:00

In this story: Blue Bear Coffee Co · Bryn Frere-Smith · Norwich · Royal Mail · London

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