Royal Mail worker who stole parcels worth thousands of pounds snared by suspicious Star Wars fan

A postal worker stole parcels worth tens of thousands of pounds to sell on his eBay account after falling into debt.

Saul Myerscough stole from a Royal Mail depot over a “four or five year period” during which he hid his illicit actions from his friends and family. The Leyland postie was eventually caught out when a Star Wars fan discovered a missing item being sold online.

Preston Crown Court heard that the prosecution was unable to work out an accurate total of how much was stolen but Myerscough, of Chorley Road, Chorley, admitted it was “in the tens of thousands”. The now 54-year-old first began stealing in 2017 and was eventually caught out when one of his victims traced his stolen memorabilia being sold on eBay.

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Paul Armer had ordered a Star Wars item which was described as having a unique marking but was left frustrated when it never arrived. Mr Armer turned detective and found the item on eBay and began interacting with Myerscough.

He went on to report the matter to Lancashire Constabulary and an investigation was launched. Myerscough’s home was visited by officers in August 2021 where five parcels worth around £210 were found. An analysis of more than 500 items sold on Myerscough’s eBay page found that the majority were items he had stolen.

The court heard that Myerscough did not steal anything from his own rounds in a bid to avoid suspicion. No other postal workers were accused of wrongdoing with the thefts only investigated once the police report was made.

The married dad made some admissions in his first police interview, but went on to fully admit his wrongdoing and pleaded guilty to two counts of theft during his first court appearance. One of those related to the items found at his home and the other to all the goods stolen in the five years preceding that date.

Defending, Fraser Livesey said that Myerscough had descended into drinking heavily as he struggled with “substantial” debt when he began stealing. He said he had kept it secret from his wife and had suffered with depression and anxiety as he struggled with the pressure.

Mr Livesey said: “When it finally came out, it all seems to have come as a relief to him. He’s had to sort himself out and that’s what he’s done.” He said that Myerscough had already taken measures to address his drinking problem and pointed to several letters of support from family and friends. Mr Livesey added that Myerscough has no previous convictions.

Sentencing, Recorder Sophie Cartright KC said she accepted Myerscough’s genuine remorse but noted that the offences were pre-meditated, long-term, and carried out for financial gain. She said: “Your offending over these four or five years causes a loss of confidence in the postal system and also caused harm to the Royal Mail business.”

Considering the steps already taken and his previous good character, Recorder Cartwright said it was acceptable to suspend his 20 month sentence for two years. She also ordered to him to pay £17,000 in compensation and costs and complete 300 hours of unpaid work.

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