CASH AND JEWELLERY IN TRANSIT THROUGH THE POST BRO

CASH AND JEWELLERY IN TRANSIT THROUGH THE POST BROUGHT OUT THE

‘MAGPIE’ IN 36 YEAR OLD ROBERT OSBORN.

AN OLD BAILEY JUDGE HEARD ON TUESDAY THAT IN LESS THAN A YEAR

OSBORN, A HIGHER POSTAL OFFICER OF HEXHAM ROAD, MORDEN, SURREY, STOLE

76 MAIL BAGS CONTAINING CASH AND VALUABLES WORTH OVER #57,000.

HE WALKED OUT OF THE SORTING OFFICE IN ELM LANE, BATTERSEA, WITH

STOLEN PARCELS STUFFED UP HIS JUMPER, THE COURT HEARD.

BUT INSTEAD OF SPLASHING OUT ON LUXURY GOODS AND LIVING THE HIGH

LIFE HE STASHED AWAY ALMOST ALL THE CASH IN BUILDING SOCIETY

ACCOUNTS.

MR DAVID DENNIS, DEFENDING, TOLD THE COURT: ‘HE HAD A SIMPLE

URGE TO STEAL.

HE DIDN’T WANT THE MONEY.

HE TRIED TO STOP, BUT

SOMETHING AFFECTED HIM IN SUCH A WAY THAT HE COULD NOT.

‘

MR DENNIS SAID THAT PERSONAL GAIN AND GREED HAD PLAYED NO PART

IN THE REPEATED THEFTS.

‘HE HOARDED WHAT HE HAD TAKEN RATHER THAN SPEND IT – ALMOST

LIKE A MAGPIE STALNG SOMETHING AND LEAVING IT IN ITS NEST,’ COUNSEL

CONTINUED.

OSBORN, WHO HAD WORKED FOR THE POST OFFICE FOR 17 YEARS, HAD

BEEN SUFFERING FROM A DEPRESSIVE ILLNESS, ADDED COUNSEL.

THE POSTMAN WAS JAILED FOR TWO YEARS AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO

TWO CHARGES OF STEALING MAIL BETWEEN MARCH LAST YEAR AND FEBRUARY

THIS YEAR.

HE ASKED FOR EIGHT SIMILAR OFFENCE TO BE TAKEN INTO

CONSIDERATION.

JUDGE GERBER TOLD HIM: ‘YOU BETRAYED THE TRUST PLACED IN YOU IN

A VERY SERIOUS AND PERSISTANT MANNER.

IT WAS SYSTEMATIC THIEVING

OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

‘

MR ANDREW RADCLIFFE, PROSECUTING, SAID OSBORN WAS CAUGHT WHEN HE

FELL FOR A TRAP LAID BY SUSPICIOUS POST OFFICE OFFICIALS.

A WATCH WAS KEPT ON A BAG CONTAINING WAGES AND JEWELLERY.

OSBORN WAS SEEN TO REMOVE THE BAG AND TRY TO LEAVE WITH IT HIDDEN IN

HIS CLOTHING.

WHEN QUESTIONED HE ADMITTED THE SERIES OF THEFTS AND TOLD

POLICE: ‘I’VE BEEN A BLOODY FOOL’.

BUT HE HAD ONLY SPENT ABOUT #6,000 OF THE STOLEN MONEY.

THOUSANDS OF POUNDS WERE RECOVERED FROM FOUR BUILDING SOCIETY

ACCOUNTS.

WHEN OFFICERS SEARCHED THE POSTMAN’S HOUSE THEY FOUND #4,300

HIDDEN UNDER A CUSHION.

FOREIGN CURRENCY AND A TREASURE TROVE OF

WATCHES, RINGS AND BRACELETS WERE ALSO SEIZED.

THE COURT HEARD THAT OSBORN HAD AN EXEMPLARY WORK RECORD BEFORE

TURNING TO THEFT.

ENDS.