A POSTMAN rifled through greeting cards looking for money and vouchers to steal when he became short of cash, a court heard.

Mail worker Peter Snape, 50, delivered post to schools and firms across Burnley, Reedley magistrates were told.

So when his bosses saw him sorting through letters at the Bank Parade delivery office, they became suspicious.

Each day, from August 18 onwards, Snape was seen at the sorting rack, and later 21 opened or resealed greetings cards were discovered.

Ben Lawrence, prosecuting on behalf of the Royal Mail, said a trap was set by managers on September 8.

Several ‘marked’ greeting cards were left in pigeon holes at the office, among regular mail to be sorted.

Royal Mail investigators later challenged Snape, of Lockyer Avenue, Burnley, as he sat in his van on the car park. Eight opened greetings cards were found.

He later consented to be searched and £55 in vouchers and £50 in cash was found.

Serial numbers for the gift vouchers and cash matched those from seven of the ‘marked’ cards left by the investigators.

The court heard that when he was interviewed by the same officials, Snape said he would check envelopes and return ones which did not contain cash or vouchers.

Further inquiries showed that there were around 67 greetings cards, which had been tampered with, between August and September.

Snape admitted three offences of theft and one charge of attempted theft.

He was given a four-month curfew order, between 7am and 7pm, by magistrates.

He was also ordered to pay £80 in compensation and £180 court costs.

The curfew will be relaxed on Christmas Day.

Richard Taylor, defending, said his client, who had no previous convictions, had been suffering from depression.