Lankan refugee to leave country after stealing mail from Australia mail

A Queensland postman has been forced to tearfully sign an agreement he will leave the country after stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of mail.

Pradeepan Logandan, who came to Australia from his war-torn home in Sri Lanka via boat in 2012, had worked at a post-sorting facility in Toowoomba as an employee of Australia Post for four years, police prosecutor Rowan Brewster-Webb told the court on Tuesday.

Missing mail prompted Australia Post to contact police ahead of Christmas last year, and officers later discovered numerous parcels and mail crates destined to be delivered to homes on Logandan’s mail route at his home and in his car, The Toowoomba Chronicle reported.

Along with the mail, police also uncovered multiple electrical goods, which they allege had been taken from the packages the 29-year-old was supposed to deliver.

There was still allegedly more than $5,000 worth of electronics and mobile phones missing from allegedly stolen packages.

Logandan was $AU 95795.99 in debt to his uncle after numerous failed attempts at leaving Sri Lanka, and had been trying to repay the debt when he stole the packages, the court heard.

His lawyer, Emma Aldersea, said the man had made a ‘foolish decision’ to try and make some fast cash that would allow him to pay off the debt.

‘This will end his journey in this country,’ she said.

Logandan pleaded guilty to possessing the tainted property and stealing by a clerk or servant. No conviction was recorded, but he has had to sign an understanding with the Federal Government he will leave Australia.

The man will also need to pay a $500 fine and $5187 in restitution.

Source: Daily Mail
-Agencies