‘Overwhelmed’ French postman to go on trial over 13,000 undelivered letters
A postman in France amassed 13,000 unsent letters in his garage so that he could clock off early, according to reports.
The unnamed “facteur” will now stand trial next year charged with breach of trust.
Over the past year, the residents of Isle-d’Abeau, 20 miles east of Lyon, have had an erratic postal service – then 10 days ago, the reason for the problem was finally resolved.
Tipped off by his wife, police found the couple’s garage piled high with undelivered mail.
Letters were stuffed between spare tyres, a lawnmower and other garden equipment, according to Le Dauphiné Libéré, the local newspaper that broke the story.
Police also found a samurai sword which his concerned wife had uncovered in the garage.
Detained for questioning, the postman, reportedly in his thirties, who had just been handed a staff contract, told police he had started dumping mail in the garage because he was unable to complete his round in time.
Speaking to RTL radio, he said: “You don’t realise it, but it’s a huge job. You have to distribute, you have to distribute.
“I used to tell myself that each time, I’d finish my round later, that when I got back, I’d take what I’d stored and distribute it in my spare time.
“As it turned out, I never did. I was overwhelmed by the work, which is huge. I’m speaking for all the postmen and women in France. Many of them will recognise this themselves.”
He insisted he did not dump the mail to curtail his working hours. “I didn’t finish any earlier than anyone else,” he said.
The postman apologised to residents who did not receive their mail and said he regretted his actions.
“I was under all this pressure at work because I wanted a permanent contract. Because I have a wife and two children, and life isn’t easy,” he added.
His strategy backfired spectacularly as the French Post Office, La Poste, fired him and filed a legal complaint. He will appear in court in January 2025.
As for the undelivered letters, La Poste said: “The mail found was not stolen and is being distributed to the recipients concerned, with a letter of apology.”