Amy Taylor had been walking her dog in Kame Wood, near the South Lanarkshire village of Carnwath, when she stumbled across the bizarre scene at around 2pm on Tuesday November 23.
The 32-year-old, who lives locally in Kaimend, was instantly suspicious when she saw parcels scattered on the ground near his car.
The driver was snapped by a dog walker
When she confronted him, the driver allegedly insisted he was 'sorting out' his deliveries.
Speaking to the Daily Record, Amy said: "The car was reversed quite far into the woods, which I thought was quite strange.
"He'd dumped all these parcels outside. When I approached him and asked him what he was doing, he said he was 'sorting out the parcels'.
"I thought it was a bit weird but I do see delivery drivers sorting out parcels so gave him the benefit of the doubt.
"There was a bit of rubbish that he'd thrown into the woods, which I gave back to him and told him to take with him.
Quick-thinking Amy took a note of the driver's number plate and the make of his car before continuing on her walk.
Looping back to check on the driver when she headed home, she was pleased to see no sign of the parcels in the woods.
But a short distance away Amy was stunned to discover the same parcels, including the piece of rubbish she asked the driver to dispose of, dumped in a pile on a tracking leading to a nearby field.
The 32-year-old couldn't believe it when she found a parcel she had ordered, only to then receive a text from Hermes confirming it had been delivered.
Amy added: "I was walking home when I found the parcels dumped up a different track that leads to a field.
"I looked through the parcels to see if there was anyone local I could deliver to and I actually found a parcel for myself.
"I took a picture of all of them and, while I was doing that, I received an email from Hermes saying that my parcel had been delivered.
"I got a picture of my parcel but it's a close-up so you can't see the area where the image was taken."
Amy, who believes she may have 'spooked' the driver in the woods, quickly alerted the police.
However, when she returned with cops to the field a number of hours later, around 5.30pm, the parcels had vanished.
Amy said: "I don't know what had happened.
"I think it's unlikely they were stolen as the piece of rubbish was gone too. Why would anyone steal rubbish?"
Hermes has since confirmed the courier has been sacked with 'immediate effect' after Amy raised the incident with them.
The company has launched an investigation and has apologised to affected customers.
A Hermes spokesperson said: "We can confirm that this courier has had his contract with us terminated with immediate effect as a result of this incident.
"We are continuing to investigate and apologise to anyone who has been inconvenienced by his actions."
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “On Tuesday, 23 November, 2021 officers received a report of parcels having been left in the woods near to Carnwath.
"Officers attended and the items were no longer in the area.”