A CONTRACTOR allegedly stealing mail from Leeton shire residents will have his day in court next month.
Following complaints from numerous customers earlier this year, Australia Post launched an internal investigation into missing mail.
Residents had noticed they weren't receiving mail or mail they had sent hadn't reached it's designated destination.
Some of those allegedly included sympathy cards, with the contents of others also allegedly removed.
Griffith Local Area Command detectives were brought into the investigation last month to carry out a search warrant at a Yoogali home with the assistance of Australia Post investigators.
Detective Inspector and acting crime manager Scott Wilkinson said a 38-year-old man was arrested as a result.
"Police carried out the search warrant on March 7 and allegedly recovered large amounts of mail in the process," he said.
"The man was arrested and charged with knowingly dealing in the proceeds of crime and the Commonwealth offence of appropriating articles in the course of post.
"He was bailed to appear in the Griffith Local Court on May 14."
The man was not a direct employee of Australia Post, but was a sub-contractor.
An Australia Post spokesman said theft of mail and tampering with articles was a federal offence.
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"Australia Post takes any incident very seriously and any person implicated in such activity is immediately terminated from employment," the spokesman said.
"The integrity of the mail is our highest priority.
"Our Security and Investigation Group has a range of measures in place to prevent and detect incidents in which mail security is breached.
"Fortunately, occurrences of mail theft are rare."
Customers affected by the alleged theft have been receiving some of the recovered articles from Australia Post.
If Leeton shire residents have concerns about their mail delivery they should contact the Australia Post customer contact centre on 13 13 18.
