Police trap snaps shut Postman steals 40,000 francs from letters - and goes on a luxury trip
A deputy branch manager at a post office on Lake Zurich financed his life of luxury with stolen money. A chemical trap led to his conviction and sentencing.
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- A 29-year-old man has been sentenced by the Federal Criminal Court for commercial theft and violation of postal secrecy.
- The employee of a Zurich post office is alleged to have stolen over 40,000 francs from letters.
- He used the money to finance a luxury trip to Dubai, among other things.
A deputy manager of a post office on Lake Zurich has been convicted of stealing over 40,000 francs from letters. The man, who suddenly indulged in luxury, was exposed by a chemical trap and convicted by the Federal Criminal Court, reports the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper.
According to the report, a woman from the district of Meilen was expecting 30,000 francs by post in March 2021. When she collected the two registered letters from the post office, they were empty. She reported the incident to the Zurich cantonal police, who checked the branch's work processes in collaboration with Swiss Post's internal investigation service.
Within six weeks, further sums of money had disappeared from letters. The investigators then installed a chemical trap containing silver nitrate. The substance is a fine powder that leaves dark stains on contact with the skin.
Trap snaps shut
The suspect, a 29-year-old Swiss man, was observed sorting out a prepared letter but not opening it. Two weeks later, another prepared letter was opened but not stolen. During an employee inspection, black marks were discovered on the hands of the deputy branch manager, indicating contact with silver nitrate. He was arrested and dismissed.
The accused denied the thefts and explained that he had opened the letter out of curiosity. Nevertheless, his sudden luxurious lifestyle, which did not match his income, stood out. He had bought a Rolex and traveled to Dubai with his girlfriend, where they rented a Lamborghini and a yacht, among other things.
Sentenced to a conditional prison sentence
The man claimed that he had financed the expenses with casino winnings and birthday money, which the court dismissed as a veiled claim.
The Federal Criminal Court sentenced him to a conditional custodial sentence of twelve months and a fine for commercial theft and violation of postal secrecy. He must also repay CHF 41,000 to the victims. The defendant has appealed against the verdict.
The editor wrote this article with the help of AI.
