Purfleet PO to close after postmaster quits in robbery Row

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Purfleet Post Office to close after postmaster quits in robbery row

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A COUPLE who run a Post Office in Purfleet are quitting after they were ordered to pay back money stolen in an armed robbery.

Postmaster John Pryor and shop assistant Danielle Conroy, of the Garrison Parade Post Office, were the victims of an armed robbery where at least £10,000 was taken from their safe.

But John and his wife Anne-Marie, pictured, are now quitting after the Post Office demanded the couple pay back 25 per cent of their salaries, at £5,500, dropped to £2,750 on appeal, to make up the shortfall.

The outraged couple, who have run Purfleet’s only post office for 19 years, say they’ve been unfairly penalised following the incident last September.

Mr Pryor said: “We feel very angry that we have been the victims of a crime and yet we have been penalised so harshly, asked to pay out of our own pockets.

“It breaks our hearts – I love working as Postmaster and I feel terrible for the people here, but I just can’t work for the company after the way we’ve been treated.”

Their resignation means the post office, which serves about 1,000 people a week, will close on Wednesday.

The attack came after a failed attempt with a spud gun in April 2014.

Residents have stood behind the couple, calling the Post Office’s actions unfair.

Christine Boylan, 60, of Centurion Way, broke down in tears when she heard.

She said: “I think it’s disgusting what’s happened with the post office. He’s the best postmaster we have ever had and the way they’ve treated him is so unfair. What happened wasn’t John’s fault. And now what’s going to happen to all the OAPs?”

The Post Office asked for £5,500 damages because the safe had been unlocked at the time of the crime.

Mr Pryor said: “We were about to use the safe. We have to serve people in between putting money in and out. It gets too busy to lock it every time.

“The alternative would have been to have left the money on the counter.”

A spokesman for the Post Office confirmed the closure.

He added: “A robbery was dealt with by Post Office Ltd and the postmaster, but we cannot comment further on the matter.”