/ 8 December 2004

Postman arrested for hoarding 21 255 letters

Malaysian police have arrested a disgruntled former postman, who had been on the run for the past four months, for failing to deliver 21 255 letters, local media said on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old postman told investigators he was upset with his meagre salary and believed he was sending a message to the authorities by hoarding the letters, the New Straits Times reported.

”Why should I deliver the letters when I am being paid less than 500 ringgit ($132)?” he said.

The postman, who had been working with the national Pos Malaysia Bhd for more than four years, was sacked in March for failing to turn up for work.

Authorities only found out in July that he had been hoarding letters when a security guard found more than 200 undelivered letters in an apartment once rented by the suspect.

Follow-up investigations led to the stash of thousands of letters.

”With his arrest, we believe we have solved this case,” district police chief A Thaiveegan was quoted as saying. – Sapa-AFP