Long-serving postman Alan Adkin stole 17k worth of parcels

[POSTMAN]

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A long-serving postman left court in tears after hearing that he faced a possible jail term for stealing parcels while on his rounds.

Nottingham magistrates were told Alan Adkin had admitted taking items worth more than £17,000 and selling some of them on.

The discovery of his thefts ended a 32-year career with Royal Mail which began when he was just 24. He was based at the Clifton delivery office.

The court was told the sentence would normally range from one year to more than three. He will be sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court.

eanne Summers, for Royal Mail, said Adkin had been caught on CCTV putting three postal packets into a vehicle at the Nottingham Mail Centre. He was being watched by two investigators.

"The defendant was approached by the Royal Mail investigators as he was about to drive through the barrier. The parcels were retrieved from the rear of the vehicle," she said.

Searches were carried out and more parcels were found in his garden shed, refuse bin, car and in two bedrooms at his home in Stanstead Avenue, Tollerton. Officers found £4,000 cash as well as postal items worth £17,179.

Miss Summers said: "In an interview on November 18, he was asked about it and made full admissions to the offences, stating that he had been stealing parcels and selling them for about ten months."

She told the three JPs their "powers of sentencing were insufficient". Efforts will be made to recoup losses from Adkin.

The former postman pleaded guilty to stealing three postal packets from the Royal Mail Group on November 10; stealing an unknown quantity of postal packets worth £12,000 between January 1 and November 15; stealing items worth £5,179 between the same dates; and converting criminal property into £4,000 cash.

Christine Luckock, for him, said she would urge the crown court judge to impose a suspended prison sentence on Adkin, who had never been in trouble before.

"I accept entirely this matter exceeds this court's powers," she said. "I will be trying to persuade the judge who deals with this to impose a suspended sentence of imprisonment. This would enable him to do unpaid work for the community."

Magistrates ordered a probation report on the basis that prison was not inevitable for Adkin, 56, who wore a black tie and dark suit for the hearing.

Presiding magistrate Simon Massarella said: "It is not suitable for this court to sentence."

A Royal Mail spokesman said: "Mr Adkin no longer works for Royal Mail. We have a zero tolerance approach to any dishonesty and that stance is shared by the overwhelming majority of postmen and women.

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

"The safety and security of mail is of the utmost importance to this business and Royal Mail will not allow the actions of any individual to damage the good reputation of our thousands of hard-working postmen and women."

Adkin was granted unconditional bail to appear at Nottingham Crown Court on April 6.

[bustedflush]

32 years! Why, oh why??

[wannabeek]

That seems a massive haul in just a few months - it looks like he was stealing as much as he was earning. Quite surprising that such a sudden scale of theft went almost a year before he was stopped.

[NWpostie]

At 56 he wasn't too far off from retirement with full benefits etc, he threw it all away, madness

I know of another Postie he was in for nearly 40 years not far off from retiring and he got done for stealing specials on his delivery, he lost his job, house, marriage, pension and he had to pay it all back..... we were stunned as he was the last person we expected to do something as silly as that.

[westham000]

Why do these people do it? If you want/need extra money work overtime. If there is none available at you office go and work overtime at another office. Their is no excuse whatsoever to thieve, and not only put your livelihood at risk but also your reputation. People who thieve deserve all what that get, and more.