Postman 'nicks Queen's letters'

By JOHN TROUP
and TOM REILLY
August 23, 2007

A POSTMAN has been arrested for allegedly stealing letters from the Queen, it was revealed yesterday.

Cops nabbed Mark Lister, 60, after a man was seen burying envelopes and parcels in the grounds of Her Majesty’s Sandringham estate.

Police set up a surveillance operation after an alert gamekeeper noticed a Royal Mail van parked in woods surrounding the Royal residence in Norfolk.

Detectives say they saw a man with a spade getting out. He dug a large hole in which he hid numerous items of mail. It is thought he may have intended to return later to pick them up.

A Royal Mail source said last night: “Nobody knows how long this may have been going on or what might have been nicked from Her Majesty. He may have been hoping something valuable would be sent to her and that she probably wouldn’t notice.”

Lister was quizzed by detectives before being released on bail pending further inquiries.

He has been suspended by bosses. The Royal Mail source said: “It’s a disgrace that someone would think of robbing the Queen. Everybody in the local sorting office is up in arms.

Special delivery ... Sandringham, where the Queen's mail was allegedly buried in wooded grounds

“I’m sure the thief thought there wasn’t a chance of being spotted. Sandringham is huge and there are acres of woodland.

“He was probably going to return in his own vehicle to pick up the goodies at a later date.”

The source said Lister, who is based at Dersingham sorting office, has only been Sandringham’s postie for a few months.

As well as delivering mail addressed to the Queen he is responsible for post sent to workers on the 600-acre estate.

A spokeswoman for Norfolk Police said: “A 60-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of intending to delay mail contrary to the Postal Services Act.”