Thieving postman captured on CCTV stealing parcels and cards

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Thieving postman captured on CCTV stealing parcels and greeting cards

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SHAMED postman Bryan Kidd stole cash, greeting cards and parcels in a desperate attempt to pay off his debts.

The 46-year-old also pocketed around £1,000 after selling some of the stolen items on eBay.

His 12-month crime spree finally came to an end after suspicious Royal Mail investigators installed CCTV at the Burslem delivery office.

They captured Kidd removing cash from greeting cards sealed down with tape.

Now Kidd, from May Bank, has admitted making the 'biggest mistake' of his life after being sentenced at North Staffordshire Justice Centre.

"I regret everything I did," he said. "I have let my family and myself down, and Royal Mail."

Investigators found nine stolen meerkat toys after searching Kidd's home.

They were among 33 meerkats sold by the 46-year-old through his eBay account for £435.

In total the defendant received around £3,500 in payments over two years. He told investigators he made up to £1,000 selling stolen goods and cashed in £300 of gift cards.

Now the father-of-three – who worked for Royal Mail for 13 years – has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard Kidd was working at Burslem delivery office when he committed the offences between April 1, 2014 and April 9 this year.

Royal Mail prosecutor Peter Gilmour said: "He stole a number of items out of the post and sold the contents on eBay. He used gift cards to pay for items in shops and used cash which he stole."

Royal Mail investigated Kidd and customers confirmed they had bought the toy meerkats from an eBay account traced to him.

The court heard covert cameras were installed in Kidd's working area on April 2.

Mr Gilmour added: "There were a number of greetings cards which had tape on the back of the envelopes.

"Footage on April 4 shows him opening cards and taking money out.

He also placed something over the camera when he realised it was there."

Kidd, of Catherine Street, May Bank, pleaded guilty to two charges of theft of a mailbag or postal packet; obtaining services dishonestly; converting criminal property and fraud by false representation.

Rachel Mason, mitigating, said he had lost his good character.

She said: "At the time he was in considerable debt, accrued with credit card loans. He buried his head in the sand. Temptation got the better of him. It spiralled out of control. He feels stupid and that he has let everybody down."

The court heard Kidd and his family could have lost their home if he had been sent to jail as his wife could not afford to keep the property on her own.

District Judge Jack McGarva decided against an immediate prison sentence because Kidd's young daughter 'does not deserve to be put on the street because of his failure to solve problems'.

Instead he was handed a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, with two years' supervision and 200 hours' unpaid work.

District Judge McGarva said: "The public is entitled to place a reliance on the integrity of Royal Mail and its staff. People are distressed when mail does not get where it should. Imagine how you would feel if your birthday was missed.

"These offences are very serious because you have damaged the reliance the public place on Royal Mail. Your offending was over a long period. To a degree you were running your own business at the expense of Royal Mail.

"You were not only damaging its image but using its money to sell the proceeds of that crime on eBay. It is serious on all levels."

Spokesman Val Boden said Royal Mail has a 'zero tolerance approach to dishonesty'.

She added: "It is a criminal offence to tamper with or delay the delivery of mail and anyone caught doing so will face serious disciplinary measures.

"We will not allow the actions of any individual to damage the good reputation of our thousands of hard-working postal workers."