Four Royal Mail post boxes have been stolen from a west Wales village

Post boxes have been stolen from a west Wales village.

Dyfed Powys Police say they are investigating the theft of Royal Mail post boxes from the Pencader area of Carmarthenshire.

One was taken from Llanfihangel ar Arth, close to the village of Pencader.

Another box has since been recovered at Gellifaharen.

A spokesman for the Royal Mail said it appeared to have been damaged as a result of work taking place on the hedges surrounding the box.

Community councillor Eirian Jones, chairman of Llanfihangel ar Arth Community Council, said: “It is a very strange situation. You might be able to understand it if one had gone missing, but for four to have gone is very peculiar”.

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A Royal Mail spokesman added: “Overall we have seen a reduction in the theft of rural postboxes of around one third in the last year thanks to the preventative measures we take.

“Royal Mail works closely with police forces and other groups across the UK to prevent the unlawful removal of postboxes.

“We deploy preventative measures and technologies to deter theft, and these measures may include forensic tags, permanent metal marking systems and electronic tracking.

“We also encourage customers who may be aware of any Royal Mail related crime to report it here “.

And a spokesman for Dyfed Powys Police said: “Sometime between Tuesday, January 5 and Monday, January 11, four post boxes, which were situated in the village, have been stolen.

“If you believe you posted mail in these boxes during the dates specified please contact Royal Mail quoting reference DPP/0043/11/01/2021/01/C”.

Anyone who has information which could help the police investigation is asked to contact PC 1003 Wayne Clarke, either online here, or by emailing 101@dyfed-powys.pnn.police.uk, or by calling 101.