Postal Theft

[magicbeard]

Hi
I would like to thank the thieving postal worker from the Brighton or Southampton sorting office who stole my Sister's birthday card and money on the 21st November 2008. Thanks for ruining her day and re-enforcing my views on the integrity of postal workers. You are an ambassador for you co-workers.

You know who you are and I will find you out and take the necessary steps to have you prosecuted.
MB

[Stormproof]

I do hope you have contacted Customer Services re 'missing' card, are you sure you put enough postage on it, alot of cards fall in the the catagory of a Large Letter so extra postage should be applied, your sister would have received a surcharge card if this has happened, also if you are sending anything valuable through the postal system you should send it as a 'Special Delivery' so it can be tracked, do not assume it has been stolen, there are alot of other avenues that could be explored. Customer Services number is 08457 740 740

[magicbeard]

I have already made contact with customer services, but I don't hold out much hope. Usually I do send valuables recorded but occasional its inconvenient to queue for 1/2 hour in your local PO whilst some low-life chav is trying to con the counter staff for a dodgy tax disc.

[andy2007]

Hi
I would like to thank the thieving postal worker from the Brighton or Southampton sorting office who stole my Sister's birthday card and money on the 21st November 2008. Thanks for ruining her day and re-enforcing my views on the integrity of postal workers. You are an ambassador for you co-workers.

You know who you are and I will find you out and take the necessary steps to have you prosecuted.
MB

First of all, let me assure you, that the vast majority of us, are honest. Why are you so certain that it was stolen, and not lost?
It's rare for something to get lost in the system, but unfortunately it does happen.

Obviously, after it going missing for so long, it needs to be investigated properly. I suggest you contact IB (Investigations Branch), their Email address is: securityhelpdesk@royalmail.com As they specialise in investigating this type of thing. If it really has been stolen, they will find out, and prosecute whoever is responsible. But please don't insult us, by suggesting that we are anything but honest.

Do you know of ANY other Company, who ALWAYS name and shame, dishonest Employees?
Most Companies try to "hush up" that type of thing. RM make a point of disgracing anyone who tarnishes our reputation for honesty.

[magicbeard]

[quote="andy2007"][quote="magicbeard"]But please don't insult us, by suggesting that we are anything but honest.

quote]
thanks for the internal contact info
maybe the 99.99% of honest postal workers may lynch him/her first

just out of interest i did a quick straw poll of my customers and colleagues today on this subject. out of 25 adults asked 19 had experienced 1 or more instances where an item of standard mail went missing in the past 12 months which contained either cash or other financial instruments (without a named recipient). of the same sample no one could recall any problems encountered with standard mail without financial instruments or standard mail containing cheques or other named financial instruments.

so the question is this, how are the thieves operating within royal mail able to select just those items of mail containing cash or financial instruments (without a named recipient) to steal ? is there some special technique being used ? clearly opening every piece of mail would be out of the question and they would soon arouse suspicion if this were the case.

[k979aaa]

But please don't insult us, by suggesting that we are anything but honest.

quote]
thanks for the internal contact info
maybe the 99.99% of honest postal workers may lynch him/her first

just out of interest i did a quick straw poll of my customers and colleagues today on this subject. out of 25 adults asked 19 had experienced 1 or more instances where an item of standard mail went missing in the past 12 months which contained either cash or other financial instruments (without a named recipient). of the same sample no one could recall any problems encountered with standard mail without financial instruments or standard mail containing cheques or other named financial instruments.

so the question is this, how are the thieves operating within royal mail able to select just those items of mail containing cash or financial instruments (without a named recipient) to steal ? is there some special technique being used ? clearly opening every piece of mail would be out of the question and they would soon arouse suspicion if this were the case.

Best thing too do is send a cheque or one time postal order it is sad when people who use the service don't trust the local postman on the street!. In saying this and individual item can be handled by 25 postmen/ women and hundred's more too have access to that one item!. You should never send cash in the post it only takes one rip of the letter in a machine or postbox or even a sorting frame!. HOWEVER MOST 99.9999 ARE HONEST AND CAREFUL AND HAVE THE CUSTOMER AS THEIR FOCUS AT ALL TIME'S!.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Honest - that means if we knew how they were doing it either we would report them or the IB/Police would arrest them.


Approx 180,000 people handle mail in RM from memory approx 20 have been prosecuted for theft this year - not bad odds is it:

[k979aaa]

Honest - that means if we knew how they were doing it either we would report them or the IB/Police would arrest them.


Approx 180,000 people handle mail in RM from memory approx 20 have been prosecuted for theft this year - not bad odds is it:

Look at a dictionary it say HONEST: truthful, trustworthy, real, straightforword and just.

[97gaz]

Many a time I have said that I would trust all the staff (over 80) in my office and really believed that. However recently the PHG noticed money going missing from the locker when the duty was covered in the afternoons. IB were involved and it turns out one postwoman has been dipping into it and opening cards on her round.

We were very dissapointed when she got probation and from once being a member of the office social circle, she has now been completely excluded.

There is no place in Royal Mail for thieving scum and they should all be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

This thief was caught by the use of a marked money sting and I suggest to the OP that she/he gets in touch with the Investigations Branch who will vigourously investigate. Please be assured that the vast majority of Postmen/women will have no sympathy for someone who sees us all tarred with the same brush.

[andy2007]

But please don't insult us, by suggesting that we are anything but honest.

quote]
thanks for the internal contact info
maybe the 99.99% of honest postal workers may lynch him/her first

just out of interest i did a quick straw poll of my customers and colleagues today on this subject. out of 25 adults asked 19 had experienced 1 or more instances where an item of standard mail went missing in the past 12 months which contained either cash or other financial instruments (without a named recipient). of the same sample no one could recall any problems encountered with standard mail without financial instruments or standard mail containing cheques or other named financial instruments.

so the question is this, how are the thieves operating within royal mail able to select just those items of mail containing cash or financial instruments (without a named recipient) to steal ? is there some special technique being used ? clearly opening every piece of mail would be out of the question and they would soon arouse suspicion if this were the case.

That's exactly the type of information IB need, to get the investigation started. The type of Mail affected, does seem suspicious. But I wouldn't want to preempt the investigation.

As 97gaz pointed out: You can sometimes be working next to a thieving scumbag, for some time, before anyone finds out. Sadly, not everyone makes a complaint to the right people. That's why I gave you that Email address. The faster we weed out the tiny minority of dishonest people, the better.

Have you Emailed IB yet?
Please let us know how you get on. Thanks.

[magicbeard]

[quote="andy2007"]
Have you Emailed IB yet?
Please let us know how you get on. Thanks. [quote="andy2007"]

yes indeed , i made contact straight away and was impressed to see a quick reply and not just one of the automated things you usually get from customer services. a positive start for sure

[magicbeard]

Honest - that means if we knew how they were doing it either we would report them or the IB/Police would arrest them.


Approx 180,000 people handle mail in RM from memory approx 20 have been prosecuted for theft this year - not bad odds is it:

you clearly have access to some useful stats. at 20 for the year that’s just over 0.01 % of employees / year. That is pretty much the same as the figure i was working off. Out of interest do you have any figures for how many cases of a similar nature are investigated by the IB and of those investigate what sort of % result in a successful criminal conviction or disciplinary ?

[magicbeard]

Best thing too do is send a cheque or one time postal order it is sad when people who use the service don't trust the local postman on the street!. In saying this and individual item can be handled by 25 postmen/ women and hundred's more too have access to that one item!. You should never send cash in the post it only takes one rip of the letter in a machine or postbox or even a sorting frame!. HOWEVER MOST 99.9999 ARE HONEST AND CAREFUL AND HAVE THE CUSTOMER AS THEIR FOCUS AT ALL TIME'S!.

just out of interest if an item of mail is not standard , i.e has the incorrect value stamp, is the wrong size, missing a stamp, damaged etc etc I assume it is handled in a slightly different way to a piece of standard mail without any problems ? is this likely to be more or less that the 25 you mentioned in your reply ?

for example , i know from past experience that an item with the incorrect stamp gets delivered with a surcharge required, usually £1 + outstanding stamp value. In such a case is the item logged in the MC’s at any point ?

99.989% RM employees are honest. My own postie is a point in case. we get a large number of cheques delivered each week as part of our business, and if no one is in any special items are always left with a neighbour as instructed. Needless to say he was suitably rewarded this year for doing a good job. Its a pity the 0.011% tarnish the reputation of the rest.

[k979aaa]

Best thing too do is send a cheque or one time postal order it is sad when people who use the service don't trust the local postman on the street!. In saying this and individual item can be handled by 25 postmen/ women and hundred's more too have access to that one item!. You should never send cash in the post it only takes one rip of the letter in a machine or postbox or even a sorting frame!. HOWEVER MOST 99.9999 ARE HONEST AND CAREFUL AND HAVE THE CUSTOMER AS THEIR FOCUS AT ALL TIME'S!.

just out of interest if an item of mail is not standard , i.e has the incorrect value stamp, is the wrong size, missing a stamp, damaged etc etc I assume it is handled in a slightly different way to a piece of standard mail without any problems ? is this likely to be more or less that the 25 you mentioned in your reply ?

for example , i know from past experience that an item with the incorrect stamp gets delivered with a surcharge required, usually £1 + outstanding stamp value. In such a case is the item logged in the MC’s at any point ?

99.989% RM employees are honest. My own postie is a point in case. we get a large number of cheques delivered each week as part of our business, and if no one is in any special items are always left with a neighbour as instructed. Needless to say he was suitably rewarded this year for doing a good job. Its a pity the 0.011% tarnish the reputation of the rest.

Well at least one extra person may handle it if is was under paid and you would have to pay a surcharge of .99p for it too be released for delivery!. It is good to note you value your postman and his good service We also have contractor's on site and visitor's but most theft is carried out by the same thieves that pray upon the rest of society!.

[andy2007]

Have you Emailed IB yet?
Please let us know how you get on. Thanks.

yes indeed , i made contact straight away and was impressed to see a quick reply and not just one of the automated things you usually get from customer services. a positive start for sure

Yes, they're very good at what they do. They were investigating this type of thing, long before Sir Robert Peel came up with the idea for a Police Force. It may take time, unless the thief was careless. As the Mail passes through many hands, before reaching it's destination. The exact number, depends on the type of Mail, and where it's going.

I don't have access to any statistics, for their success rates. But they are legendary in RM. And I have once had dealings with them myself, when they were investigating a case where I work. As it turned out, there was no wrongdoing at my site. But they were extremely thorough, believe me. And yet, we didn't even know they were there, until they were almost finished.