HC Deb 10 February 1954 vol 523 cc135-6W
114. Mr. R. E. Winterbottom

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will make a further statement on the recurrent theft of mail in transit in Post Office vans; and how far the steps to improve the security services have proved effective.

Mr. Gammans

I would ask the hon. Member to await the statement which is to be made by my noble Friend in another place tomorrow.

115. Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General the total value of the jewellery and other valuables contained in registered packets stolen in transit to Regent Street, London, last week; and how much of the stolen pro perty has been recovered.

Mr. Gammans

Applications in respect of 11 of the 22 packets stolen have been received so far, and the stated value of their contents is £342 10s. The value of the other packets is not yet known. Three men, among them the driver of the van, have been charged with complicity in this theft and there is, therefore, nothing further which I can say at this juncture.

116. Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he will make a statement about the theft of registered mail at Shipley Bridge, Surrey, on 5th February; and what the value of the stolen mail was.

Mr. Gammans

On the 5th February a van operating under contract and carrying mail from Redhill to Rye was set upon by a gang of masked men in the early hours of the morning. The driver had locked himself in his cabin but the gang broke in on him by smashing the glass in the doors and windscreen, after which they drovethe van into a nearby field, parked it behind a haystack and rifled it. Finally they left the driver bound and gagged in his van and disappeared, taking with them 191 registered packets, of which 27 have since been recovered intact. The value is not yet known.

117. Mr. Crouch

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General what extra security measures have been introduced for the carriage of mail; and how many robberies have taken place since 1st January, 1954.

Mr. Gammans

As regards the first part of the Question, I would ask my hon. Friend to await the statement which is to be made by my noble Friend in another place tomorrow. As regards the second part, information about the total number of mail bag robberies as such is not available, but the number of bags reported missing in January, 1954, was 74 as compared with 90 in the corresponding period last year. There have been three robberies from mail vans since the beginning of the year.