Royal Mail issues statement as pressure mounts in 'mail tampering' probe in Kendal

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THE Royal Mail issued a statement as pressure mounted for it to be ‘open’ about what action it was taking as part of an investigation into ‘mail tampering’ in Kendal.

A string of people contacted the Gazette in July and August to say they had sent or received mail that had apparently been opened en route to its destination, with condolence cards and money among the items reported to have gone missing from envelopes.

Despite the Royal Mail subsequently claiming it would ‘always seek to prosecute’, a Cumbria police spokeswoman has since said that the incidents were dealt with by the Royal Mail’s investigation team and not by the police.

However, in a new development this week, a Royal Mail spokesman said the organisation had completed a ‘security investigation’ into the matter and that the case evidence was ‘now under legal review for consideration to prosecute’.

South Lakes MP Tim Farron said the instances of mail going missing were ‘hugely concerning’ and had undermined public trust in a postal service that had done a ‘brilliant job’ during the pandemic, while Kendal residents affected by wandering mail called for clarity.

Pam Adamson, who had money sent to her in the post go astray, said: “I think Royal Mail should be open about what’s happening, and what they’re doing about it, and inform us of the outcome.”

Judith Blaydes, who received empty envelopes that she believed would have contained condolence cards after her husband, Mel, died in April, said: “This is a theft against the public.

“It’s not an internal thing that’s gone on, it’s been a theft against the public - to me that’s a crime.”

She said she had since received a bouquet of flowers from the Royal Mail accompanied by a note offering the organisation’s ‘sincere apologies’.

Mrs Blaydes reported the offence of ‘theft or unlawful taking of mail’ to police on August 5.

Nigel Nelson, who received and also sent post that arrived with the standard letter apologising ‘for the delay and damage caused to the attached mail’, said whoever was responsible ‘should be prosecuted by police’.

“I think it’s disgusting myself, absolutely disgusting, because people have lost not just bereavement cards, they’ve lost money,” he said.

Norman Lobb, another person affected, said: “At least (the Royal Mail) should issue a statement to say what they’ve done and what they’ve concluded.”