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A NEWMARKET postman has been jailed for nine months after stealing hundreds of pounds of cash and gift vouchers from greetings cards.
Kevin Allen, 47, was handed the sentence at Bury St Edmunds Magistrates' Court on Thursday after admitting three charges of theft at an earlier hearing, including stealing cash and vouchers worth £200 from up 100 letters, stealing £45 from two parcels and stealing five DVDs.
Presiding magistrate Meg Clibbon said she believed the offences were so serious that custody was the only option.
She told the court that Allen, of Manderston Road, had breached the trust of the public with the post office.
"You stole the loving greetings and private wishes from individuals which were never intended to be shared with post office workers," she said.
The court heard that the offences were carried out over a two-year period between September 2006 and September 2008.
Hugh Cauthery, prosecuting for Royal Mail, said a staff member had seen Allen, who had worked for Newmarket's delivery office for 18 years, taking mail from another bag and putting them into his trolley in July last year.
An investigation was launched after Royal Mail was informed of the incident and Allen was put under surveillance.
Test packages containing valuables were planted by investigators in Allen's postbag on three separate occasions before he was caught out in September.
The court heard that gift vouchers for £25 and £7 were found on Allen when he was searched, as well as £45 in cash.
Rental DVDs and plastic bags containing torn up envelopes and mistreated greetings cards were also discovered following a search of his home.
Magistrates heard that Allen admitted stealing the items when confronted, confessing that he had been stealing packages for several months and the DVDs two years before.
Mr Cauthery said Allen admitted stealing 100 greeting cards containing £200 in cash by sorting some mail not intended for his round and stealing the contents when out on his delivery.
Mr Cauthery told magistrates that Allen, who has since resigned from the post office, had financial difficulties and had used the money to help pay his rent.
Jeremy Kendall, mitigating, said Allen had watched the DVD at home and did not return it and this had escalated.
He said the gift vouchers had remained unused because Allen was too scared to spend them.
Mr Kendall told the court that Allen showed immediate remorse for his actions by offering to pay £200 to investigators.
He said Allen, whose marriage had ended in 2001, had financial difficulties and struggled to pay bills after moving into a house on his own.
"He is going to learn a very painful lesson," said Mr Kendall.
"He has lost a job which he enjoyed, lost his good character and possibly lost his pension entitlement."
And he won't have to worry about paying his rent--the worst thing about this site is being informed 
We need a better deterrant, to stop these people getting tempted! 
Someone who steals doesn't have 'good character' to lose, 
