Shame of thieving postman

POSTMAN Andrew Burke deliberately opened greetings card-type packages and helped himself to several hundred pounds.

The thieving began last Christmas and went on for seven months before he was trapped by “tester” mail, Manchester City magistrates were told.

Burke (46), employed by Royal Mail for 26 years, is now facing prison after admitting four charges of theft and attempted theft.

Sending him to the City’s Crown Court for sentence the bench said “these matters are far too serious for us to deal with”.

‘Despicable’

Burke, of Main Street, Failsworth, accepted that the offences were “despicable” and had brought shame on him and his family said defence lawyer Elizabeth Syddall.

At the time of the thefts he had been in dire financial trouble and struggling with his mental health, it was claimed.

Miss Syddall said: “In 2008 he had a serious accident at work. He was on the sick for a year and whether that and his money worries led to mental problems we don’t know. But he has little recollection of what he was doing.”

Prosecutor Huw Edwards said between January and July torn-up packages were found at Manchester Mail Centre and it led to the senders being contacted to establish the post-boxes they had used.

Seven “test” packages were put in boxes cleared by Burke and some of them went missing.

Mr Edwards said that Burke was caught in possession of tampered mail and £105 he admitted stealing. Further damaged packages and gift cards, along with another £140, were discovered at his home and in his car.

Information from customers revealed that a total of £515 had been in the packets recovered in his home.

Mr Edwards said that that Burke, who resigned from his job in July, confessed to buying food with some of the stolen cash.