UP to 200 parcels were stolen from the Australia Post depot in Braeside, 5.54pm, Monday 11 July.
Police said the offenders entered the Venture Way premises through unlocked sliding doors at the front which give customers easy access to their locked post office boxes.
They prised open a delivery hatch and unscrewed the lock to an inner door giving them access to the entire post office warehouse. After going through offices they accessed an area behind the reception counter where parcels packed ready for collection are stored.
The thieves used a trolley to steal the parcels and, in their haste, left many strewn across the floor – and even out front of the building.
CCTV footage shows a man wearing a grey tracksuit pants and hoodie, and a woman wearing a dark-coloured hoodie with two white stripes on the sleeves and dark leggings.
“Australia Post takes great pride in the safe, secure and efficient delivery of mail,” Australia Post national media manager Jared Lynch said. “The integrity of the mail is our highest priority. Mail theft is a criminal offence and this matter is being handled by the police.
“Incidents of mail theft are rare and our corporate security and investigations group work closely with police on investigations. Security measures include CCTV, regular monitoring and screening. We are confident we have notified affected customers, however, if anyone has any concerns about their mail we encourage them to call us on 13 13 18.”
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 27 July 2016
