Postwoman cards thief avoids prison
ATHIEVING postwoman who was caught stealing greetings cards destined for children, new babies and newly wed couples has avoided jail.
Beverley Burnett, of Whitworth, stole 17 postal packets over a five-month period while working for Royal Mail, a court heard.
Investigators launched a ‘sting operation’ in July 2018 after a resident living in Accrington found three opened greetings cards in her wheelie bin.
Prosecutor Hayley Bennett told Blackburn Magistrates Court that postmarks on the cards showed they were due to be delivered that day.
Seven more opened cards were recovered from a post box on July 30 by a member of staff carrying out routine collections.
Royal Mail authorised a surveillance operation and monitored postwoman Burnett as she delivered a number of ‘test packages.’
Miss Bennett told the court that the defendant ‘failed to deal with the test packages in the correct manner’ and she was seen leaving the envelopes in bins on her route.
Officers searched her and found £60 in stolen cash, four ‘mistreated’ greetings cards, four Tesco club cards and a Next gift card. The court heard how CID also contacted Royal Mail regarding the fraudulent use of a £15 Argos gift card used by Burnett on May 23.
Burnett, 46, pleaded guilty to four counts of theft and one count of fraud by false representation.
Defence solicitor Gareth Price said at the time of the offending Burnett was around £10,000 in debt and struggling with ‘family problems’ and her partner who was off work due to illness.
He said: “This does not in any way excuse her behaviour but goes some way to explain why a lady in her position, in a trusted role with no previous convictions would carry out these sorts of thefts.”
The court heard how Burnett, of Thornton Drive, has agreed to forfeit nearly £5,700 of her Royal Mail pension to cover the investigation costs.
District Judge James Clarke sentenced her to eight months in prison, suspended for 12 months with a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement.
He said: “This is a case involving a high degree of culpability and a significant breach of trust placed in you as a member of a respected organisation in which many members of society place their confidence.”