Postal worker sentenced for stealing over 6,000 items

A POSTAL worker was sentenced to 18 months in prison in Monday for stealing over 6,000 letters and packages.

The police determined that Önder Ilgın, 25, stole the belongings of “thousands of citizens” that came through the mail. He fraudulently obtained money by selling some of the items in both Turkey and in North Cyprus.

Mr Ilgın, who was accused of “theft by a public official”, “fraudulent cash procurement” and “misuse of office”, accepted all the charges at Lefkoşa Assize Court.

Between September 2017 and April 30, 2018, the police found that Değirmenlik resident Ilgın, who was working as a civil servant at the Lefkoşa Central Post Office, stole 13 different yellow PTT mail bags from Ercan airport.

It was determined that he did not deliver the goods, which contained 3,000 items including electronics, mobile phones and accessories, wristwatches, jewellery and apparel worth an estimated 300,000 TL, and 1,000 letters.

A three-judge panel, chaired by Judge Nüvit Gazi, announced their unanimous decision in the case.

In light of his “own confession, the facts and evidence presented”, Judge Umut İnan announced that they had found the accused guilty and sentenced him. Judge İnan pointed out that the crime of “theft by a public official” is a “serious and grave crime”.

He indicated that the fact that the defendant stole the items in question between 2017 and 2018 while working at the Post Office as a public official “increased the gravity of the crime”.

Judge İnan emphasised that “deterrent and exemplary punishments should be given to those who commit or tend to commit such offences”.