Man Holds Amazon Drivers ‘Hostage’ After Missing His Mattress Delivery

Two delivery drivers were taken hostage after a shopper took the keys to their van in a heated dispute about a mattress he purchased on Amazon.

Dean Smith held the Panther Group delivery staff hostage at the side of a country road on the outskirts of Dartmoor after missing the 10am delivery of his £400 mattress.

Dean Smith with his mattress after the stand off

The 44-year-old businessman took the keys to their truck and refused to return them until his mattress, which was due to be driven back to a warehouse was handed over.

The bizarre standoff concluded around 10.30am after police attended and – after threatening to arrest Smith – ordered the shocked drivers to deliver the goods.

Smith said he was delighted to have stood up to a “giant like Amazon” and “fought for the common people”.

I’m a man of common sense and I was not prepared to let this mattress be driven away,” he said.

Even if they took it out of the van and left it at the side of the moor, I would have been happy. This is bureaucracy gone mad.

They wanted to drive the mattress back to Taunton and then back to my house tomorrow. I worked in transport deliveries for seven years and this is just insane.”