Bristol PO woman employee on the run after £50k goes missing

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Bristol Post Office woman employee on the run after £50k goes missing

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A POST Office employee in Bristol has left the country after allegedly stealing around £50,000.

The woman, believed to be of Pakistani origin and in her 50s, has escaped a police hunt in the UK but officers have confirmed they will still be pursuing the case.

Avon and Somerset Constabulary spokesman Wayne Baker told the Evening Post: "We are investigating the theft of a large sum of money from a post office in the Stoke Gifford area.

"We have been talking to the border agency and we can confirm that a woman who worked for the Post Office has left the UK and our inquiries are continuing."


The Post understands the sum to be in the region of £50,000.

The tiny branch in the front right corner of the JRW Billing pharmacy in Ratcliffe Drive is still open, although it was forced to close for a few mornings due to staff shortages.

The branch is run as a Post Office franchise by Leeds-based company Interim Enterprises Limited.

The company supplies sub postmasters on a temporary basis to post offices across the country.

Post Office Limited spokeswoman Jane Thomas said: "This is a matter for the police and we are cooperating with their inquiries.

"The post office in question remains open, being run by the sub postmaster who has been there since October 2008."

Ms Thomas confirmed the change of management in 2008 has no connection with the investigation.

It was business as usual yesterday at the branch but the sub postmaster has declined to comment on the matter.

Shopkeepers in the area, who have asked not to be named, admitted being shocked by the news, which has been circulating in the community.

Stoke Gifford councillor Keith Cranney told the Post the woman's departure from her post was "the talk of the village".

He said: "It is a relief to the local community that the post office has remained open.

"We would be very concerned if the area was to be left without a post office for a length of time.

"With the number of post offices being closed around the country the fear would be that they wouldn't put one back in."

It is not yet known how the woman could have obtained the five-figure sum.

Interim Enterprises Limited was contacted for comment but had not replied last night.

[Lounge Lizard]

"The Post understands the sum to be in the region of £50,000.
It is not yet known how the woman could have obtained the five-figure sum."
So the Avon and Somerset Constabulary haven't yet realised that that's the sort of cash delivered on a weekly basis to a reasonably sized sub Post Office and that the suspect just might have decided to do a runner shortly after the delivery. And isn't Stoke Gifford right by Bristol Parkway Railway Station, ideal for an unnoticed getaway to a distant part of the country ?

[norbert]

or out of the country ? , plenty of trains to Paddington for Heathrow / Reading change for Gatwick

[subbie]

Now if this had happened to an ordinary subbie, he would be immediately suspended and the office would be shut unless a company such as Interim Enterprises could be found to supply an interim Postmaster.

So why hasn't interim enterprises been suspended, and will they be expected to pay POL their £50k back? Because as sure as hell a Subbie would be held responsible for the actions of their staff.

Subbie