Money stolen from envelope - Baldoyle sorting office

olly_mac wrote: »

My brother-in-law recently retired from An Post. He had over 40 years service and told me that in recent years, An Post staff turn-over is very high. He feels that security checks that used to be the norm are not being applied as much these days. He noticed a real difference in the "ethos" among the newer staff, and would not be surprised if some took on the job for the specific reason of theft. It is his belief (not based on scientific reasoning) that individuals would work in offices for a number of months, then resign when their "mission" was accomplished. The older, more senior, members of staff share this belief he said. They noticed the pattern too, and if they did, surely the management in An Post should have as well.

It is a worrying problem. There are some out there who just feel they have the right to steal, and it is not just An Post where this happens.

Turnover is "high" because An Post isn't in a position financially to recruit. As a result your brother-in-law would have seen a lot of new staff (or returning staff) coming in on temporary or fixed term or purpose contracts. These guys are still subject to the aptitude testing, medicals and Garda vetting, just like everyone else. I agree that the "feeling" and "atmosphere" and as you said, general ethos has changed but that is symptomatic of the massive restructuring the company has been undergoing over the last five or so years.

But that has its pro points too. With the introduction of tagging, real-time scanning and state of the art sorting machinery misdeliveries and missorts are at an all time low. Everything is documented and everything leaves a trail now. It's harder these days than it was in your brother-in-law's era to get away with delaying, hiding or theft of mail. I for one think it's a positive step forward.

Voodoomelon wrote: »

In 120 posts, only one person mentioned it could have happened on the US side.
I had a business account with An Post and hand delivered large amounts of parcels for years to my local office and saw how things worked.

If the letter was on its way to the states, it would have likely only have been touched by just two sets of hands here, maybe not even. The initial sort where it was posted, and perhaps a second sort in Dublin before international dispatch.

It's likely it was handled more on the US side than over here.

I was under the impression it was posted to him in Ireland before he left for his hols.