§ Earl Russellasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many cases are reported per annum of theft of money or cheques while in the post, and how many of these cases have resulted in (a) prosecution and (b) conviction.
§ Lord Williams of MostynInformation collected centrally for England and Wales under Section 1 of the Theft Act 1968 and Post Office Act 1953, Section 53 as amended (theft or unauthorised taking of mail) does not record the item stolen.
Recorded offences and court data are not comparable because the former relate to offences and the latter to the number of offenders.
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Number of recorded offences and defendants prosecuted at magistrates' courts and convicted at all courts for the offence of theft or unauthorised taking from mail1 1993 to 19962 England and Wales Year Notifiable Offences Total Prosecutions Total Convictions 1993 6,791 391 276 1994 5,118 299 240 1995 4,641 252 182 1996 3,902 2802 2202 1 Offence under Section 1 of the Theft Act 1968 and Post Office Act 1953 Section 53 as amended. 2 Provisional. Information held on recorded crimes in Scotland does not separately identify thefts of items while in the post.
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Number of persons proceeded against and the number with charge proved where the main offence was Section 522 or Section 53 of the Post Office Act 1953 Scotland 1993 1994 1995 Persons proceeded against 5 9 6 Persons with charge proved 5 8 5 1 Stealing mail bag or postal packet.