AN ACCRINGTON postwoman was caught stealing cash from cards she was meant to deliver.

Blackburn magistrates heard the inquiries by Royal Mail tied in with police investigations into the fraudulent use of an Argos gift card.

Beverley Burnett, 46, of Thornton Drive, Whitworth, pleaded guilty to theft of a £15 Argos gift card, fraudulent use of the card and three charges of theft of postal packages containing greeting cards. She was remanded on bail until February 12 for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

Royal Mail investigators began their inquiries after a report from a member of the public living on Victoria Street, Accrington, that she had found three opened greeting cards in her wheelie bin. A further seven opened cards were recovered from a post box by a member of staff carrying out routine collections.

Burnett was working as a delivery postman based at the Accrington office. Investigators set up test postal packages on Burnett's round and she was seen depositing the envelopes in a bin on her round. £60 in cash had been removed from the envelopes.

While the inquiries were being carried out CID officers contacted Royal Mali as a result of the fraudulent us of the Argos gift card. The mobile phone number linked to the use of the card belonged to Burnett.