A man has been arrested on suspicion of theft after parcels were reported stolen from one of Evri's delivery depots.

Huge sackfuls of deliveries were found discarded in a wooded area at the end of Beacon Road in Luton, Chatham.

A local resident made the discovery while out walking near Ash Tree Lane on Sunday, December 4.

Last week Evri – formerly known as Hermes – issued an apology to affected customers and said it had launched an investigation.

Police were also alerted and say, as part of their investigation, they have arrested a man on suspicion of theft in connection with parcels missing from a depot in Aylesford.

A spokesperson for the force said: "I can confirm an investigation into reports of parcels being stolen from a depot in Aylesford is ongoing.

"This was reported to have taken place between November 28 and December 5."

Officers say inquiries are ongoing and the man arrested, who is from Chatham, has been released on bail until March 6, 2023.

After images of dumped parcels were posted online, disgruntled shoppers took to social media to vent their frustrations.

One resident said: "This could be why my parcel didn't arrive."

While another online shopper added: "I've been waiting for a parcel since November 25. Can't get through to anyone."

A spokeswoman from Evri, said: "We can confirm that we were alerted about a number of parcels that had been dumped at a local fly-tipping location.

"Our local team visited immediately and recovered the items.

"We have contacted the police who are taking the necessary action and we have also launched a full investigation.

"We apologise for any inconvenience caused and would like to reassure the public that this is a rare incident and will not impact deliveries moving forward."

The courier company only recently opened a huge new distribution depot nearby in Panattoni Park, Aylesford, near Maidstone.

The depot can handle more than 220,000 parcels each day - over double as many as its previous site a few miles away in Quarry Wood.

It can also operate 24/7 if required and comes complete with electric vehicle charging for ParcelShop couriers.