Postman stole 1,000 letters to pay off gambling debts

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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A crooked postman stole more than 1,000 items of mail to pocket cash and gift cards to pay off his gambling debts.

And after being caught red-handed Daharam Pal, 55, told investigators that he was suffering from “magpie syndrome”.

Pal, of Florence Road, West Bromwich, was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, this week after he previously admitted three charges of theft.

He was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

John Dove, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court, said Pal had worked at the Smethwick delivery office for nearly 11 years.

“Inquiries began when there were a high volume of complaints received by this particular post office as to the non-delivery of mail, principally on the defendant’s walk,” he said.

In the main, he added, the complaints related to greeting cards, which were usually distinctive.

A surveillance operation was carried out and four specially prepared packages were introduced into mail, normally sorted by Pal.

One was undeliverable because it had a non-existent address and the other three did not relate to the defendant’s walk.

It was later discovered Pal had sorted two of the packages, which also contained tracking devices.

Mr Dove said the defendant was subsequently approached and when investigators searched his car boot they found 606 mail items in bin liners dating back three months, along with 404 packages which had been ripped and opened. Two of the prepared packages were found in a refuge chute.

Pal was found in possession of stolen money and admitted taking two watches, Pokemon cards and gift vouchers.

The postman said that he had gambling debts with criminal gangs, who had threatened him and he had started to steal six to seven months earlier, netting between £500 to £600.

Shane Crawford, defending, said those who Pal owed money to “were not prepared to compromise in any shape or form.”

[hubbahubba]

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/lo ... 00-1686079

A crooked postman stole more than 1,000 items of mail to pocket cash and gift cards to pay off his gambling debts.

And after being caught red-handed Daharam Pal, 55, told investigators that he was suffering from “magpie syndrome”.

Pal, of Florence Road, West Bromwich, was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, this week after he previously admitted three charges of theft.

He was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

John Dove, prosecuting at Birmingham Crown Court, said Pal had worked at the Smethwick delivery office for nearly 11 years.

“Inquiries began when there were a high volume of complaints received by this particular post office as to the non-delivery of mail, principally on the defendant’s walk,” he said.

In the main, he added, the complaints related to greeting cards, which were usually distinctive.

A surveillance operation was carried out and four specially prepared packages were introduced into mail, normally sorted by Pal.

One was undeliverable because it had a non-existent address and the other three did not relate to the defendant’s walk.

It was later discovered Pal had sorted two of the packages, which also contained tracking devices.

Mr Dove said the defendant was subsequently approached and when investigators searched his car boot they found 606 mail items in bin liners dating back three months, along with 404 packages which had been ripped and opened. Two of the prepared packages were found in a refuge chute.

Pal was found in possession of stolen money and admitted taking two watches, Pokemon cards and gift vouchers.

The postman said that he had gambling debts with criminal gangs, who had threatened him and he had started to steal six to seven months earlier, netting between £500 to £600.

Shane Crawford, defending, said those who Pal owed money to “were not prepared to compromise in any shape or form.”

One day one of these gutless lowlife pr**s will tell the truth and say "I'm just a greedy self-centred scumbag"instead of getting their defence to spout 101 excuses for their pathetic acts.....

[maisymoo04]