theft from trolley

[daveyeff]

sorry its a bit long winded but here goes. just acquired this new duty in the recent repick. its a town centre duty with high capacity. on my first week i was told some b****** had been in my trolley and nicked some packets out of it while it was tied up inside a block of flats. seemed the kid who told me had heard about it in the bar off some bloke who said the ''druggies'' had been in trying to flog stuff they'd pinched out the posties trolley. i reported it to the gaffer who also phoned the coppers, and i received a phone call off the I.B... so its been a s**t few weeks like, with the complaints from people who had their stuff nicked, which was understandable and having to get the duty risk assessed for leaving the trolley. the gaffer and union agreed it was impractical to leave the trolley for the 'required' 10 mins as the blocks of flats i do takes at least half an hour, which would mean returning to the trolley to check it every few floors. so the gaffer and rep said i could leave it tied up outside the flats as the town centre has loads of cameras. however today, whilst in the flats again, i saw two b******* at the trolley and force it open and one with a bag go in the trolley and nick packets out again. i opened a window on the floor and shouted abuse at them and they ran off. needless to say, gaffer and cops were phoned again. the rep says they will have to suspend the delivery with the trolley and just work from the office which is fine by me as it will take longer and i will have to get stuff covered. but the gaffer is saying they are going to get me a new up to date mk2 trolley as the one i have is supposed to be obsolete. apparently the new ones are harder to break into as the locks are better quality. however i am dubious of taking another trolley out as if more stuff gets nicked who will get blamed. will it be me or the gaffer after he has been told of the risks? i feel totally s**t about it all to be honest.

[2yearpostie]

They are a bit more secure but still easy enough to open. Ask your gaffer to get on to fleet and ask for a bipper than about to be decomission instead and do it from that.

[clashcityrocker]

I can't believe you are using a Mk1 trolley.
Was it in a museum?

If someone wants to break into a Mk2 trolley they will.
I once dropped my keys and watched the lid slam shut. I went to a garage and asked if he could pop the lid open for me.
It took seconds of his time.

From what you have posted the duty doesn't sound suitable for a trolley.

[daveyeff]

its all the high st shops and 7 blocks of flats but even the 'quickest' block takes 10 mins, and the biggest block can drag on for nearly 45mins-1hour on busy days. its not practical to keep returning to the trolley every 10 mins, but as you have already pointed out it only takes seconds to open the bloody thing, and as i witnessed this morning it literally took that shitbag a second. i'm going to knock it on the head using the trolley. mk1 2 or even 10 wont be enough to stop them. if they want it they will get it.

[2yearpostie]

its all the high st shops and 7 blocks of flats but even the 'quickest' block takes 10 mins, and the biggest block can drag on for nearly 45mins-1hour on busy days. its not practical to keep returning to the trolley every 10 mins, but as you have already pointed out it only takes seconds to open the bloody thing, and as i witnessed this morning it literally took that shitbag a second. i'm going to knock it on the head using the trolley. mk1 2 or even 10 wont be enough to stop them. if they want it they will get it.

you need the dom to deliver the mail to you in a bag every half hour or so. Be careful they dont go for you next.

[daveyeff]

aye, they could but don't think they would cos they are just sly snidey oportunist theives. having said that though a mate of mine was held up after he came out the post office after a collection a few years back and was threatened with knives and a crowbar. he just dropped it all an said 'take it' . dont blame him either.

[postslippete]

I wouldn't risk taking any trolley out to these flats if you have already been targeted twice. Sounds like your manager is just fudging the issue and you would probably be better off working from the office if it isn't too far.

Such a pain when delivering to flats that don't have communal letterboxes


Can't see your manager bringing the mail out to you everyday. At ours they are more concerned with what food they will be ordering at lunch time.

[NWpostie]

You probably would need a metal lockable box that you can have parcel dropped off and you take out what you need.

[SpacePhoenix]

I'm surprised that IB haven't given the DOM a roasting about mail integrity. 45mins, that would give the thieves enough time to nick the whole trolley. CCTV cameras can't always be relied upon as some might be dummy cameras to deter thieves

[Woody Guthrie]

There is no IB anymore.
It was dismantled years ago.

[daveyeff]

well the gaffer said he had been on the phone to them after the 1st incident and gave them my number, and i got a call off somebody in london and the said they were RM security. so is this not the I.B. then? also a lad was hauled in the office last year for questioning of alleged theft of mail. he was taken home in the car and they searched his house (his wife was hysterical) took him back to work searched his locker and questioned him for the whole working day before they were satisfied he hadn't done a thing wrong. who are these people then? and how can they arrest you like that if they are not the I.B.?

[daveyeff]

I'm surprised that IB haven't given the DOM a roasting about mail integrity. 45mins, that would give the thieves enough time to nick the whole trolley. CCTV cameras can't always be relied upon as some might be dummy cameras to deter thieves

5 mins would be enough time to nick the whole trolley never mind 45, which is why the are impractical for use on blocks of flats.

[Cluaran]

If you are being made to use substandard equipment the blame for any thefts is that of management and not you.

[daveyeff]

thank you for that.

[Woody Guthrie]

well the gaffer said he had been on the phone to them after the 1st incident and gave them my number, and i got a call off somebody in london and the said they were RM security. so is this not the I.B. then? also a lad was hauled in the office last year for questioning of alleged theft of mail. he was taken home in the car and they searched his house (his wife was hysterical) took him back to work searched his locker and questioned him for the whole working day before they were satisfied he hadn't done a thing wrong. who are these people then? and how can they arrest you like that if they are not the I.B.?

We still have fraud and theft prevention, it's just no longer a separate department it's under the umbrella of RM Security.

They don't have any special powers and can only search a person or an address on a voluntary basis or by applying to the courts for a warrant and in the presence of police officers.