Thieves steal bike from Sunderland postwoman while she's out delivering during coronavirus pandemic

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Thieves steal £1,000 bike from Sunderland postwoman while she's out delivering during coronavirus pandemic

https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/cri ... ic-2848451" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A Sunderland postwoman has been left heartbroken after the bike she relied on to deliver mail safely during the coronavirus pandemic was stolen.

Pamela Maltas, 58, has worker as a postal worker with the Royal Mail for 35 years and over the last seven weeks her role has been even more vital to those shielding during lockdown.

In a bid to ensure social distancing whilst delivering parcels and letters to some of the most vulnerable in Sunderland, Pam has been using her electric bike to get around rather than share the postal van with her colleagues.

But it was whilst delivering to homes on the corner of Granville Street and Hylton Road in Sunderland, her bike was stolen after the lock was cut from where it was secured to a lamppost.

The theft happened on Thursday, May 6 at around 2.45pm, with Pam leaving it secured for just a matter of minutes before it was taken.

Pam, from the Ford Estate, said: “I am delivering to all kinds of vulnerable people who are having to self isolate through having illnesses.

“I am trying to do my best and I am working hard to try to get as many parcels to vulnerable people as possible.

“I can’t go in the post van at the moment because of social distancing, so I am using my bike to get around on delivery.

“It was chained to a lamppost while I was delivering mail and I was only gone for 15 minutes before I came back to find the lock had been cut.”

The electric bike is worth £1,000 and had been bought in September 2019 through the Royal Mail’s cycle to work scheme, meaning that Pam is still having to pay for a bike she no longer has.

It had been secured with a special lock which Pam said looks as though it was cut with an angle grinder in order to remove it.

And because of where it was positioned, Pam said there is no CCTV pointing the right way to have captured the incident.

Pam said: “I am putting myself at risk delivering mail and this has happened.

“It has been quite difficult for us (post workers) during this hard time and having to social distance, so I was really upset.”

A Just Giving Page has now been set up by Pam’s daughter Lian Maltas to raise £900 to buy a new bike, which has so fair raised £335.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “At 2.45pm on Thursday, May 6, we received a report of a bike stolen on Granville Street, Sunderland.

“It was reported that a woman had chained her electric bike up as she was delivering post, but a short time later found the lock had been broken and the bike taken.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact us via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of our website quoting log 050593M/20.”

To donate to the fundraiser visit: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding ... =XvraZd43X" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[scoobydo79]

Feel for the post lady but the lesson here is do not use Your own bicycle,car, moped or motorcycle .

[renrag40]

I note that that there is no mention of RM reimbursing the cost of the bicycle. In fact, no comment from RM at all in the piece........ probably decided to turned a blind eye to that I suppose.