Thieving postie's £500 spree

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news- ... -500-spree" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A MONEY-troubled postman bought food with some of the £500 he took from greetings card-type packages.

Andrew Burke’s seven-month stealing spree ended after “test” mail was put in pillar boxes cleared by him.

Some of the testers disappeared — when Burke was caught with tampered mail in his possession and £105 he confessed to stealing.

More torn-up packages, gift cards and a further £140 was discovered in his home and car, said Huw Edwards, prosecuting at Manchester City Magistrates’ Court.

Burke (46), of Main Street, Failsworth, had worked for the Royal Mail for 26 years is now in danger of being jailed after admitting four offences of theft and attempted theft.

He was bailed until November 7 for an all-options report and warned being sent for sentence to the crown court couldn’t be ruled out.

Of the 53 damaged packages Burke, who resigned from his job in July, said he had helped himself to money from some of them.

Burke told investigators he began stealing last Christmas and only did it when he needed money. Burke suffered a serious injury at work in 2008 which led to financial problems and the threat of his home being repossessed, said Damien Mullarkey, defending.

“There is the possibility he may be suffering from bi-polar. He realises it is a significant breach of trust and is full of remorse”, said Mr Mullarkey.

[RedBagMan]

http://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news- ... -500-spree
“There is the possibility he may be suffering from bi-polar.

Same old same old ... I spent rather a long time this week explaining to customers why I was delivering "damaged/open" mail dated October 2010 (from a previous ...) - I didn't have to (there were letters inside the damage bags from the DOM) - but I felt I had to - if only to try to improve our image ... a bit ...

Grrr ...

[andy2007]

He's full of remorse, is he?
Yeh, right! He's REALLY full of regret that he got caught!

[Indy]

>Burke (46), of Main Street, Failsworth, had worked for the Royal Mail for 26 years

26 years!

[jaspers 0wner]

Yeah 26 years and as clean as a whistle work record.

Let's just say, none of us know what's round the corner and having suffered depression myself I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

Depression isn't an excuse it's an illness.It was mentioned that he could be suffering from BI-POLAR state.Don't knock it, read up on it before you bad-mouth someone you don,t know.BI-POLAR could happen to you, don't ever say you wouldn't do such things because you never know when it can strike and what it can make you capable of.

I bet the gobby commenteers have never been touched by depression.

They are very lucky but it can strike any time so beware of the signs.

[andy2007]

Actually I've had problems with Depression for years, so I also know what it's like. But as you yourself said: "Depression isn't an excuse it's an illness". I must admit, I know very little about Bi-polar, so I don't know what it can make people capable of. So I'm sorry if my comments were unfair.

If the Bi-polar made him feel that he couldn't complete his rounds, and he hid the Mail because of that, I could understand it. It's the fact that he stole from the Mail that I don't understand. Particularly when there are people, mostly in the Press, but also on the streets, who criticise RM for having "so many" dishonest Posties. Have you ever had comments like that made to you, simply because of the Uniform you wear?
Do you know what that's like?
I don't even do deliveries, so it's only when I'm coming Home from work that I get it from the Public. And to be fair, it's hardly a daily occurance. But even once in a while, it's bad enough. It's the Press reports primarily that cause me problems. But I know enough Delivery Posties, to know that they get it far more often from the Public.

[Royal_Fail]

He's obviously not thinking straight risking 26 years service for couple hundred quid.

Also the article says "thieving postie" but was he? sounds like he worked on collections to me its always the bloody posties fault

[Darren Bent]

Trouble with media it is everything in one job as they won't want to know it is not a postman to suit the story writer