Pinching postie knicked parcels from his round

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A FORMER postman has admitted stashing more than 1,500 stolen parcels in his loft for eight years.

Stephen Dillingham, who worked as a postman in Bedfordshire between 1998 and 2009, took the packets sometime between 2006 and when he left the company but it wasn’t until February this year that his hoarding habit was discovered.

Vicky Dillingham, the defendant’s estranged wife, was clearing out the loft in the home they previously shared on February 18 when she found a stack of parcels.

Prosecuting, Andrew Brumhill said: “Mrs Dillingham immediately contacted the Bedford rural delivery office saying she had found a number of mail bags in the loft. The delivery dates showed the post was due to be delivered between September 2, 2006, and August 28, 2009.

“He had worked as a postman in Bedford and Wootton since 1998 and had occasionally performed overtime at Ampthill, Flitwick, and Newport Pagnell.”
Mr Brumhill also told the court that a week later, Mrs Dillingham again contacted the Royal Mail and said she had found more packages in the loft. Investigators searched the property and recovered further bags of unopened post dated from September 2006.

Defending, David Backhouse said: “There seems to be some confusion over the amount of packages involved whether the actual number was 1,525 as he has pleaded guilty to or 1,507 as previously suggested. However he accepts they were in his loft and he is responsible for them.”

Dillingham, who lives in Palgrave Road in Bedford, pleaded guilty to theft of mail or postal packet at Luton Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday where his case was adjourned for reports to be made about him.

Magistrates awarded him unconditional bail to appear back for sentence on July 29. Due to the seriousness of the offence, magistrates said they reserved the right to send him to the crown court for sentence.