Thieving post worker in prison

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/content/ ... 3A57%3A933" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A Royal Mail worker who stole more than £70,000 to fund an online gambling addiction has been jailed for a year.

Norwich Crown Court heard how mother-of-three Patricia Barnes, 39, from Newbegin Road in Norwich, was put under surveillance by Royal Mail after her behaviour became suspicious.

Between May, 2007 and January, 2008, Barnes stole £74,420 cash and £987 in cheques from internal mail between the Royal Mail sorting office in Thorpe Road, where she worked, and the finance office in Peterborough.

Barnes, dressed in a black jacket and jeans, pleaded guilty to the theft and told officers she kept the cash to fund an online gambling habit, and simply threw the cheques in the bin.

Adam Harbinson , prosecuting, said: “This is theft from a women with a high amount of trust placed in her by Royal Mail and customers who use Royal Mail.

“Over a period of time in 2008 surveillance was carried out and towards the end, the defendant was seen to be acting suspiciously in her work so was placed under surveillance.”

Michael Clare, in mitigation, asked the court to take into account the fact she had pleaded guilty, had no previous convictions and that she was worried about the impact on her family.

He also argued she was not eligible for the charge of theft in breach of a high degree of trust, and said that was normally reserved for bankers and similar professionals.

Mr Clare said: “I ask your honour to see it as an unsophisticated way of spending money and one can only imagine why someone would want to play games of pure chance on a computer.

“She's truly upset at what she knows is perhaps an inevitable custodial sentence. As many mothers do she has tried hard to keep it from her family and she should get full credit for a guilty plea.”

Barnes was sentenced to 12 months in prison, of which she will serve half. Recorder Philip Brooke-Smith said: “I take fully into account everything that's been said and that you pleaded guilty.

“I don't believe there's any risk of you doing this again. I accept this was to fund a gambling habit and that this is very easy these days with computers.”

A Royal Mail spokesman said: “We welcome this sentence as Royal Mail has a zero tolerance stance against any form of dishonesty.”

[DGP1]

Can someone explain how £70k in cash was being transported in the mail system and how nobody noticed that it was going missing should also be explained.

[Stormproof]

The money that gets sent to Peterborough is the cash that is collected by surcharging and customs items in Callers. Some that I've posted to them using Special Delivery have been nearly a £1000 per week including cheques. Imagine every office over the UK doing the same but obviously varying amounts.

[k979aaa]

It will still be nothing compared to what these two :cfo & :lfo have stolen from the royalmail in remuneration for a job not well done!.

[not me]

Can someone explain how £70k in cash was being transported in the mail system and how nobody noticed that it was going missing should also be explained.

we deal with on average £250,000 per day as we deliver to big bank clearing offices
its can hit 500,000 on busy days
thats in £2,500 SD pouches