Brighton postman jailed after stealing birthday cards

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/8329391. ... day_cards/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A postman who was stealing birthday cards was arrested after Royal Mail recruited suspicious neighbours to catch him out.

Andrew Flynn pocketed anything from his postal sack that looked like it contained money but heartlessly tore up cards and vouchers he did not want.

The 42-year-old, of Goldstone Villas, Hove, was only caught out when his bosses planted bogus packages in Flynn’s bag disguised as greetings cards.

When the fake cards were not delivered to the named residents, who were also recruited by Royal Mail, investigators confronted Flynn in the street.

Yesterday at Brighton Magistrates’ Court Flynn, whose round included an area north of Shoreham Road and west of Preston Road including The Drove, Reigate Road and Tivoli Crescent, was jailed for 12 weeks.

He had admitted three offences of theft dating from April this year including one of stealing a quantity of postage packages worth £200 and two of stealing 11 packages of an unknown value.

Anthony Lenaghan, prosecuting on behalf of Royal Mail, told the court: “He’d been purloining birthday cards.

“The Royal Mail received a complaint from a Tivoli Crescent customer they had not received items on a number of occasions. Greetings cards were among the items.

“On April 8 the Royal Mail put items into Mr Flynn’s round. Four of these were addressed to Tracey Harris. The defendant was observed as he took the items out of the office and started to carry out his round.”

But the court was told he did not deliver the fake items to Ms Harris and was arrested by investigators trailing him.

When cautioned he was found to have 13 items of undelivered post on him. The investigators searched his home and another 11 items of post – all greetings cards – were found on top of his fridge.

Flynn admitted he had stolen up to 40 greeting cards over months, pocketed any cash he found and recycled the envelopes at various bins across Brighton. He told investigators: “There’s not much I can say. I was going to take those items [the bogus cards].

“I was stealing basically. I hold my hands up to stealing them. There’s no point lying about it.”

Stephen Wedd, defending, agreed people would be hurt by Flynn’s actions. He asked: “If you can’t trust your postie who can you trust?

“His victims were people who did not receive their birthday cards from their grandmas. Children would have been upset.”

He explained Flynn had started stealing after building up a debt of £3,000.

Mr Wedd said the 42-year-old had been forced to take a pay cut to £83-a-week sick pay after injuring his calf but needed more money so started stealing.

Mr Wedd agreed Flynn would have actually been entitled to benefits but claimed he felt too ill to even walk out his home and claim.

Chair of the magistrates Roger Wilkey, sentencing, said Flynn had breached the public’s trust to the highest degree.

[Wessex]

If you steal in this way you are almost certainly going to be caught and very likely face a jail sentence.My concern is with the current financial situation hitting the likes of posties hard that normally honest people may be forced into temptation.
On a slightly different note I am also concerned that with the increasing size of rounds there will be more instances,particularly in rural duties where people will take mail home because they cant cope and then start having to play catch up.I wonder whether we will see an increasing number of cases of wilful delay not through inherent dishonesty but fear of losing the job.I hope not.Nevertheless one has to put these stories into perspective,RM employ I dont know how many,is it 200 000 ? the size of a large city and yet I would presume dishonesty is a fraction of what you would expect from such a place.In short hats off to posties !

[fishtank]

.Nevertheless one has to put these stories into perspective,RM employ I dont know how many,is it 200 000 ? the size of a large city and yet I would presume dishonesty is a fraction of what you would expect from such a place.In short hats off to posties !

Workplace theft is rife in most companies,far worse than in Royal Mail.
What makes it both unacceptable in this company and at the same time newsworthy is that the victim is not the company itself but the general public who for the most part place their trust in us.

[Wessex]

You are absolutely right there Fishtank.

[andy2007]

If you steal in this way you are almost certainly going to be caught and very likely face a jail sentence.My concern is with the current financial situation hitting the likes of posties hard that normally honest people may be forced into temptation.
On a slightly different note I am also concerned that with the increasing size of rounds there will be more instances,particularly in rural duties where people will take mail home because they cant cope and then start having to play catch up.I wonder whether we will see an increasing number of cases of wilful delay not through inherent dishonesty but fear of losing the job.I hope not.Nevertheless one has to put these stories into perspective,RM employ I dont know how many,is it 200 000 ? the size of a large city and yet I would presume dishonesty is a fraction of what you would expect from such a place.In short hats off to posties !

They would have to be dishonest in the first place to steal. I almost lost my Home in the '90's, and I didn't steal anything. The problem is, that too many people are brought up these days, thinking that certain types of theft are ok. For example: Illegal downloads, copying software, etc.. So they think that as they're deserate for money, they're not really Criminals, for stealing.

Whatever happened to Honour and Honesty?
The days when people could literally starve to death, through poverty in this Country, are long gone.

[maisymoo04]

residents recruited by the IB wots bloody next

[Lounge Lizard]

.Nevertheless one has to put these stories into perspective,RM employ I dont know how many,is it 200 000 ? the size of a large city and yet I would presume dishonesty is a fraction of what you would expect from such a place.In short hats off to posties !

Workplace theft is rife in most companies,far worse than in Royal Mail.
What makes it both unacceptable in this company and at the same time newsworthy is that the victim is not the company itself but the general public who for the most part place their trust in us.

That's right. I remember labouring on building sites many years ago and anyone took more or less whatever they liked and it was never thought of as theft. Stealing from the mail is of course very very different though.

[fishtank]

That's right. I remember labouring on building sites many years ago and anyone took more or less whatever they liked and it was never thought of as theft. Stealing from the mail is of course very very different though.

A friend of mine(cough) liberated an entire fitted kitchen complete with double oven and dishwasher from a major building company site that he was working on,he even got the "security guards" to help him into the van with it....for £20 each obviously.

[BELIAL]

Then there was the construction company director who liberated £6 million and on discovery was given a pay off because the publicity would have cost the firm more in share price crash. This does not happen with people working for ******* though, not ever and it never will . In fact I don't think anyone would contemplate it at all, and if they did it would not be for long