Handsworth postal worker jailed for stealing chequebooks

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A postal worker has been jailed for seven years for stealing hundreds of chequebooks from the sorting office where he worked in a £1.2m fraud.

Paul Akuda, 64, was found guilty last month of conspiracy to commit fraud.

Akuda worked for Royal Mail at the sorting depot in St Stephens Street in Birmingham from November 2003 until his suspension on 26 May 2011.

The Royal Mail Investigations Department noticed a spike in the loss of mail and started an inquiry in 2010.

Akuda was filmed taking post from an area of the depot, putting stolen items into a carrier bag and then leaving.

Police found four stolen chequebooks in his bag, two chequebooks in his work locker and a further 38 chequebooks at his home in Handsworth, Birmingham.

Minimal financial benefit

Police, Royal Mail and the banks estimated between October 2010 and May 2011, more than 500 cheque books had been taken, and were used in fraud amounting to losses of £1.2m.

Kerry Moreton, from West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Paul Akuda abused his position of trust with the Royal Mail and began a campaign of dishonesty against his employers which resulted in innocent members of the public having their cheque books stolen and money taken out of their bank accounts.

"Although his illegal activities resulted in losses of over £1m to a number of banks, there was no evidence to suggest that Akuda was more deeply involved in the frauds than acting as the original thief and supplier of the chequebooks.

"But his actions were key to the whole enterprise and without which the rest of the fraud could not have taken place.

"It does appear, however, that he received minimal financial benefit for his role in the enterprise."

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Royal Mail worker who stole cheque books from Birmingham sorting office jailed

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Paul Akuda, 64, was arrested after Royal Mail launched an inquiry in November 2010 into thefts from its depot in St Stephens Street

Paul Akuda was found guilty of conspiring to commit fraud by false representation after a trial at Birmingham Crown Court.

A Handsworth postal worker has been jailed for seven years for stealing cheque books from a city sorting office – which led to bank losses of £1.2 million.

Paul Akuda was found guilty of conspiring to commit fraud by false representation after a trial at Birmingham Crown Court.

The 64-year-old worked for Royal Mail at the central sorting depot in Newtown’s St Stephens Street between November 2003 and May 2011 when he was suspended.

In November 2010, the Royal Mail Investigations Department noted a spike in the loss of mail at the depot and launched an internal investigation.

A surveillance operation picked up Akuda taking post from an area of the depot and leaving the depot with the items in a carrier bag.

Police were called in and Akuda was arrested. Detectives recovered four stolen cheque books from his bag, two further cheque books from his work locker and discovered a further 38 cheque books at his Handsworth home.

It was estimated that between October 2010 and May 2011, more than 500 cheque books had been stolen.

The cheque books that were stolen were sold on to third parties who used them in fraud amounting to losses of £1.2 million.

Kerry Moreton, Senior Crown Prosecutor from West Midlands, said: “Paul Akuda abused his position of trust and began a campaign of dishonesty against his employers which resulted in innocent members of the public having their cheque books stolen and money taken out of their bank accounts.

“Over a seven month period, Akuda stole cheque books from the sorting depot where he worked and then sold these books onto third parties who would then use them in fraudulent transactions.

“Although his illegal activities resulted in losses of over a £1 million to a number banks, there was no evidence to suggest that Akuda was more deeply involved in the frauds than acting as the original thief and supplier of the cheque books, but his actions were key to the whole enterprise and without which the rest of the fraud could not have taken place. It does appear, however, that he received minimal financial benefit for his role in the enterprise.