'Skint' postal worker stole Tesco vouchers

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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A postwoman stole supermarket vouchers from her post bag in order to buy groceries because she was “skint”, a court heard.

Maureen Pumfrey, of Walden Road, Little Chesterford, stole a letter containing Tesco vouchers belonging to a woman on her delivery round and spent the £38 loyalty coupons at three supermarkets.

The 55-year-old, who worked part-time, pleaded guilty at Harlow Magistrates Court to theft of a postal packet on November 11, last year, and to three offences of fraud by false representation after spending the tokens at Tesco stores in Saffron Walden, Haverhill and Cambridge.

Hugh Cauthery, prosecuting on behalf of Royal Mail, said Pumfrey was employed at Great Chesterford delivery office for nine years, until resigning on November 30. The stolen packet belonged to Alison Drury, of Little Chesterford.

He said: “Mrs Drury is an avid Tesco shopper and realised she had not received her quarterly Clubcard vouchers, so contacted Tesco and was informed she should have received them by the 14th.

“This was the 20th. She had an online account and used it to track her vouchers. She discovered that £15 of hers had been used at Haverhill on November 11, £3.50 worth in Cambridge on the 19th and £19.50 worth in Walden store on November 21.”

CCTV revealed Pumfrey as the culprit and three receipts were found by Royal Mail investigators during a search of her home.

The court heard that initially Pumfrey denied stealing the vouchers but then claimed Mrs Drury’s letter had become stuck on the back of a letter for herself and had ended up in her house.

Mr Cauthery said: “She said she had not set out to steal but was tempted because she was skint.”

Jenny Carpenter, representing the defendant, said: “It was approaching Christmas and she found herself with little funds and the money was spent on essential food items, not luxuries.

“She didn’t set out to choose a Clubcard voucher letter. It inadvertently got put with her mail and when she got home she saw a letter not addressed to her and unfortunately acted dishonestly.”

Rev Geoff Smith, chairman of the bench, sentenced Pumfrey to a 12-month community order with 40 hours unpaid work. She will also pay £38 compensation to Tesco and £200 in costs.

[Lounge Lizard]

"The court heard that initially Pumfrey denied stealing the vouchers but then claimed Mrs Drury’s letter had become stuck on the back of a letter for herself and had ended up in her house." - does she think the magistrates were born yesterday ?

[ebbzie]

Makes me sick, gives the rest of us a bad name

[TrueBlueTerrier]

"The court heard that initially Pumfrey denied stealing the vouchers but then claimed Mrs Drury’s letter had become stuck on the back of a letter for herself and had ended up in her house." - does she think the magistrates were born yesterday ?

Thats an excuse a newbie would give to a Manager as to why she put MS on a letter, even then its a pretty weak reason.

[Madeinessex]

What would you know about it, unless you were there and heard what was said, you shouldn't make comments like that, when she was dropped in it by a co worker who was handing out vouchers like they were stamps and then split on her to his DOM. She took the blame for someone else.

[freelunch]

What would you know about it, unless you were there and heard what was said, you shouldn't make comments like that, when she was dropped in it by a co worker who was handing out vouchers like they were stamps and then split on her to his DOM.She took the blame for someone else.

But you, oops... she pleaded guilty at Harlow Magistrates Court to theft of a postal packet on November 11, last year, and to three offences of fraud by false representation

Sorry Mo, but since CCTV revealed Pumfrey as the culprit, you had the benefit of a customer's mail, damaged Royal Mail's reputation and probably left your victim with little or no confidence in your former colleagues.

[Lounge Lizard]

What would you know about it, unless you were there and heard what was said, you shouldn't make comments like that, when she was dropped in it by a co worker who was handing out vouchers like they were stamps and then split on her to his DOM.She took the blame for someone else.

But you, oops... she pleaded guilty at Harlow Magistrates Court to theft of a postal packet on November 11, last year, and to three offences of fraud by false representation

Sorry Mo, but since CCTV revealed Pumfrey as the culprit, you had the benefit of a customer's mail, damaged Royal Mail's reputation and probably left your victim with little or no confidence in your former colleagues.

The "three offences of fraud by false representation" must be why she's one of those rare breed of crooks NOT to be "of previous good character" .

[TrueBlueTerrier]

What would you know about it, unless you were there and heard what was said, you shouldn't make comments like that, when she was dropped in it by a co worker who was handing out vouchers like they were stamps and then split on her to his DOM. She took the blame for someone else.

Then she should have told the investigating officers that and they would have been investigated.

However, in the end its not how she got the vouchers into her home but what she did when she "found" them.

1. Honest choice - on finding the letter endorse it correctly and IMMEDIATELY walk to the nearest Post Box and re-introduced it back into the system.

2. Dishonest choice - keep them and spend them on 3 different occasions.

Also if your story is correct that she was dropped in it by a fellow worker who was handing out vouchers like they were stamps. She had a choice then, I would have reported him. There is one thing that is unacceptable to me, and that's stealing, but stealing from customers when innocent colleagues may come under suspicion is as low as it can get. Anyone offering me stuff stolen from the mail WILL be reported by me - that's my choice. Hers wasn't, now she is living with the consequences of her decisions no matter how many excuses she, and you, can come up with.

[wacko74]

I thought when you use clubcard vouchers you have to scan your clubcard for them to accepted?