Fake parcels delivered crooked postie to court

[RobertT]

http://www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/bla ... t/?ref=rss" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A NORTON postie who stole property worth £10,000 was caught after investigators planted tracking devices in fake parcels for delivery.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard Paul Nicholls’ home was like an "Aladdin's cave" packed with gifts he stole from packages and cards.

After finding the tracking devices in the 51-year-old’s car, investigators recovered piles of CD's, DVD's, books, gift vouchers, clothing, toys, jewellery, electrical gadgets, mobile telephones, phone cards and computer games from Nicholls’ Shenstone Avenue house, he later admitted stealing around ten postal packets a day which earned him an extra £50 a week.

Recorder Jason Macadam told Nicholls he abused his position of trust as a postman in the Stourbridge area with a course of "sustained offending” but ruled he was just able to avoid sending him straight into custody because he felt a period of support would be more beneficial than a short spell behind bars.

Nicholls admitted stealing a quantity of postal packets between January 2004 and May 2010 and also stealing 19 packets, he was given a 12 month jail term suspended for 18 months.

He was further ordered to carry out 220 hours community punishment and placed under supervision for 18 months by the Recorder, who made a restitution order for all the property found at his home.

John Dove, prosecuting, said Nicholls had been a postman at the Brierley Hill delivery office for 11 years until he was sacked last May.

He said suspicions were aroused after Nicholls was seen to transfer greetings cards from other postal rounds to his own round.

Nicholls was then approached by investigators and in his car they found 19 greetings cards that had been diverted from other postal rounds together with the two test packets.

Mr Dove said Nicholls clearly had a "pre-determined plan" to do work he did not need to do at the delivery office in order to steal items and targeted packages he thought would contain money or gifts.

The Post Office was normally alerted to thefts by complaints from the public but in this case the level of complaints was so low suspicions did not arise until Nicholls was discovered "by chance" removing a greetings card by a colleague.

Tom Challinor, for Nicholls, said knew he would eventually get caught and stressed it was "rather an unsophisticated enterprise."

He told the court the offences were committed for financial reasons but added that Nicholls had been completely honest after his arrest when he admitted "more than could have been proved against him."

Mr Challinor said Nicholls life was now "in ruins" and, badly affected at the time by family and personal problems, he felt he was "at the end of his tether."

[fishtank]

he later admitted stealing around ten postal packets a day

between January 2004 and May 2010

...and nobody noticed.

[Post Off]

Yeah, well that's the thing you see, he was pilfering from other postie colleagues in the hope that any suspicion would fall on them. What a basteward, eh? He had a decent job, ffs. Alright, maybe it was a half-decent job. I mean, he could have got help to work things out. He knew what he was doing, and now his life is in ruins? What a sad fug up.

I wonder if everyone, the customers that is, got their packages back along with some sort of official explanation. I suppose they must have. RM wouldn't have re-dumped the packages, cards, etc., back onto the posties bays for redelivery?

[dvbuk55]

Making me wonder where the hell the package I've been waiting for since 15 Dec is

[pinstripe]

"Mr Challinor said Nicholls life was now "in ruins" and, badly affected at the time by family and personal problems, he felt he was "at the end of his tether.""

Badly affected by family and personal problems for 6 years! What a crock of s***
He stole for 6 years. This was a prolonged series of thefts, he tried to divert suspicion onto his colleagues, he knew exactly what he was doing. He should have received a prison sentence, none of this suspended nonsense. It is this type of toe-rag that gives us a bad name. Still, at least he was shopped by one of his colleagues.

[andy2007]

"Mr Challinor said Nicholls life was now "in ruins" and, badly affected at the time by family and personal problems, he felt he was "at the end of his tether.""

Badly affected by family and personal problems for 6 years! What a crock of s***
He stole for 6 years. This was a prolonged series of thefts, he tried to divert suspicion onto his colleagues, he knew exactly what he was doing. He should have received a prison sentence, none of this suspended nonsense. It is this type of toe-rag that gives us a bad name. Still, at least he was shopped by one of his colleagues.

Family and personal problems can, and do last that long for some. BUT THAT'S NO EXUSE FOR STEALING!!!!!! particularly when you're in a position of trust, as we are!!!!!!

Thankyou to whoever it was who shopped the thieving [expletives ommitted due to rules]. It's just a pity he wasn't caught much earlier! And as for his life being in ruins, due to being caught. Well, TOUGH!!! He got off lightly (as they always do ). I've no sympathy for him, and I seriously doubt there's any Posties who do! One less thief damaging our reputations, and causing distress for the Public. Good riddance to bad rubbish!