This Thieving Postie Stole ‘Compare The Meerkat’ Toys To Sell On eBay And Clear His Debts
A thieving postie who pinched thousands of pounds in cash, gift cards and Meerkat toys from letters and packages he was supposed to be delivering has avoided jail.
Bryan Kidd, 46, stole the items destined for Royal Mail customers between April 2014 and April 2015 in a bid to clear his mounting debts.
His haul included 33 cuddly toys which were addressed for customers of the popular Compare The Market comparison website.
He made £1,000 selling the stolen goods on eBay, and cashed in £300 from birthday cards.
His 12-month spree came to an end, however, when suspicious bosses installed CCTV at his delivery office in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs.
He was filmed on April 4 removing cash from birthday cards sealed down with tape, and he was later arrested.
When police officers raided his home they found nine stolen meerkat toys and he admitted his crimes during interview.
On Wednesday, Kidd, of May Bank, Stoke-on-Trent, was given a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for two years at North Staffordshire Justice Centre.
He pleaded guilty to two charges of theft of a mailbag or postal packet, obtaining services dishonestly, converting criminal property and fraud by false representation.
The dad-of-three was also given two years’ supervision and ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work.
Judge Jack McGarva said Kidd was “running his own business at the expense of Royal Mail” and “using its money to sell the proceeds of that crime on eBay.”
Kidd, who worked for the Royal Mail for 13 years, told the court: “I have made the biggest mistake of my life. I regret everything I did.”
A Royal Mail spokeswoman said after the case: “We will not allow the actions of any individual to damage the good reputation of our thousands of hardworking postal workers.”
(Pictures credited to News Team International and REX)
