$20,000 worth of cigarettes stolen from Sydney post office

Charges have been filed against a 57-year-old man after a police investigation prompted by a number of reports on mail consignment having been stolen from a post office in Strawberry Hills.

Photos of packs of cigarettes seized by authorities. Source: NSW Police

A former post office employee was charged after allegedly stealing several mail consignments, including an estimated $20,000 worth of cigarettes during the period August 2019 - January 2020.

The 57-year-old man is expected to appear at the Downing Centre Local Court today, Thursday.

An investigation prompted by reports of stolen mail consignments from the Strawberry Hills post office in Sydney, was conducted by the Redfern Region Enforcement Squad (RES) assisted by Australia Post, which led to the arrest of the man following a vehicle stop on Elizabeth Street last month.

A vehicle search followed and shortly after officers executed a search warrant in Waterloo where 96 cartons of cigarettes were seized, as well as mail consignments containing electronics, clothing and other personal items.

The former post office employee was taken to Mascot Police Station and now faces charges including two counts of appropriate mail-receptacle and deal with property proceeds of crime.

He has been granted strict conditional bail.