Very Interesting Update on the Postal Thief That Got Caught in Silver Spring, Maryland
winesteven
Posts: 4,573 ✭✭✭✭✭
Many of you may have read the prior post(s) about the two valuable coins that Gerry Fortin had mailed his client that “got lost” in the delivering post office in Silver Spring, MD. A female accomplice tried selling the coins to Julian of Bonanza Coins, but he had previously been notified via email by Gerry to be on the lookout for those two coins. While the woman waited, Julian secretly called the police, and she was arrested. After interrogation, she gave up the name of the postal employee (not a temp). I was talking (and thanking) Julian yesterday afternoon at FUN when he got a call from the police. Here’s a summary of that call from Gerry’s daily blog this morning:
“Silver Spring Stolen GFRC Coins Update
Julian Leidman stopped by the GFRC booth to provide an update on the postal theft situation at the Silver Spring office.
He was contacted by the Montgomery police once again and informed that police raided the home of the Silver Spring Post Office employee who was fingered by the arrested woman at Julian's Bonanza Coin shop. Julian is now a hero! The police found evidence in the suspect's home that was associated with 48 unsolved theft cases. This individual had been on probation at the post office in the past but continued his illegal ways. The close cooperation between GFRC and Julian Leidman resulted in a theft ring being broken.
Len Augsburger is planning a video documentary of the entire affair in conjunction with the Newman Numismatic Portal. We start working on the video in the coming week.
Really amazing....”
In the original post on this site, it was made clear that when the customer kept on going to the post office to complain, after a while that postmaster would not even talk with that customer anymore. Perhaps that Postmaster needs retraining.
My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
Comments
That's Fed time & say goodbye to that nice pension.
My Saint Set
Wow. It's fantastic that the coins were returned to the owner, of course, but even better that in the process they stopped this thief. 48 additional unsolved cases now (well, soon to be) closed! That's crazy!
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Amazing. Thanks for posting the update. It's always interesting to see how these things work out. In this case, the best possible outcome given the circumstances. I have no sympathy for the crook.
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
Yes, sounds like that postmaster should be replaced pronto.
TurtleCat Gold Dollars
Thanks for the update @winesteven.
More than one supervisor was involved in the annual evaluation/performance review of the arrested civil employee. Entire leadership at that post office needs to be reprimanded and removed from any supervisory positions with loss of pay, to include permanent demotion (to last most satisfactory grade/step), and/or terminated from service.
Co-workers may need to be re-vetted, too.
Oh wait... innocent until proven guilty. Then do the above.
IMO
It is really great to see this.... some coins returned and the thief captured...Other thefts resolved. Great work Julian. Cheers, RickO
More like he needs to be shown the door.
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
Especially if she had reinstated the guy.
>
I would prefer investigated and charged with aiding and abetting if found to be involved, and at the very least, fired for not doing their job.
Hmmmm, if caught stealing mail it should be 1 strike and your out along with a paid vacation in a concrete cell!
Permanently terminating someone in a union shop can be extremely difficult unless there is absolute proof (Admission, video, etc). The postmaster probably didn't have a choice about reinstatement after the initial probationary period. I've been in this position a few times where I absolutely know that the employee committed a violation, but there wasn't enough hard evidence for HR to fight a potential wrongful termination suit brought by the union. Hence, another opportunity to play the "progressive disciplinary" game as outlined in the union handbook
Sounds like termination shouldn't be an issue now
Note: This is not a slam on unions or union employees. Just my experiences related to the previous comments. I've seen many examples of both the positive and negative aspects of organized labor, just like I've experienced the positives and negatives of being part of a salaried workforce.
But you're ignoring two points:
1. Until the theft was discovered, the client went back to the post office and explained several times to the Postmaster that something is wrong, as the tracking shows the package was actually delivered to that post office, but nothing happened after that. After several times of being told this, rather than investigating with the security they presumably have, the Postmaster chose to ignore the client going forward. This has NOTHING to do with the union!
2. Knowing now there were at least 48 thefts by that employee, it appears the supervision of their employees by the Postmaster was completely inadequate. Don't tell me this one complaint happened to be the only complaint to that Postmaster that things were missing! This also has NOTHING to do with the union!
My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
Did they search the postmaster's house?
LIBERTY SEATED DIMES WITH MAJOR VARIETIES CIRCULATION STRIKES (1837-1891) digital album
In that scenario, I would look for demotion and/or reassignment.
TurtleCat Gold Dollars
Strange. The Postal Inspection Service, the vaunted "Postal Inspectors" were not named as part of the investigation.
And.................I've run into "bad" Postmasters, too after 36 years in Postal Land.
The USPS won't do a thing.
Pete
Sadly, not too surprising. It's typical in every industry and every business. Usually they get promoted to positions where they aren't supposed to mess with people but end up with more power which is what they want anyway. Then they feel validated because of the promotion. The old terminology was the peter principle.
TurtleCat Gold Dollars
So much for the BIG SIGNS about robbing a post office, 25 years, etc. I guess that does not apply from the inside.
Back in the 1970's, we had an all star in our unit who signed a .45 cal pistol out of the arms room for a robbery. not for the 7/11 or whatnot, but the post office ON BASE.
So, in uniform, with his name on the uniform, and unit badge, he robs the post office.
25 in the big house. It was a little interesting reading the witness accounts about how big the pistol was. They all look huge looking at the business end.
Dum dum lost his job and goes to jail. Not to smart to start with
Very nice. Wonder what they used as PC to get a search warrant.
Maybe they got a search warrant on her cell phone first or she coughed something up during the interview.
BHNC #248 … 130 and counting.
She gave them his name during the interrogation when she understood that they knew her original story was bogus (or maybe they offered her a deal - I watch too much TV, lol)
My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
Ugh... don’t get me started on TV cop shows
That’s a good point that might be that they offered her a break if she snitched.
BHNC #248 … 130 and counting.
Great work by Julian Leidman, Gerry Fortin, and the Montgomery County police!
A big win or maybe 49 wins for the good guys!
Great news! The bonus of bringing good news to 48 other people, too.
Thanks for the update.
I’ve learned the hard way that the post office investigates their own and protects their own.
m
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
They got sloppy because they got away with the first 47 thefts. And tried again with the wrong victim.
Actually, while the victim (the client who bought the coins) complained several times to the post office, the post in the original thread made it clear how the thief got caught — Gerry Fortin, the seller, sent emails describing the missing coins to local dealers, including Julian of Bonanza Coins. It was Julian’s effort in quietly calling the police when the thief’s accomplice came in to his shop to sell the coins. The police came right away and arrested her in his shop! Julian’s the hero!
My collecting “Pride & Joy” is my PCGS Registry Dansco 7070 Set:
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/design-type-sets/complete-dansco-7070-modified-type-set-1796-date/publishedset/213996
I think most of the postal complaints unfortunately fall on deaf ears.
Loved hearing that this had a positive outcome.
Great job, Julian!!!
Donato
Donato's Complete US Type Set ---- Donato's Dansco 7070 Modified Type Set ---- Donato's Basic U.S. Coin Design Set
Successful transactions: Shrub68 (Jim), MWallace (Mike)
Sometimes the GOOD guys win !!
https://www.wmar2news.com/news/local-news/a-call-to-a-coin-shop-led-police-to-a-usps-carrier-who-admitted-to-stealing-mail
Picture of suspect.
Remember, he is innocent untill proven guilty in the court of the law...
From the article cited above: "Pugh has since been released on $5,000 bond. His current employment status with the postal service is unclear. It's unknown if he has or will be charged with federal violations."
It is a shame in this day and age - but crime does pay. Even in the worst case scenario where you do get caught. Probably paid about $500 for the bond (a very small percentage of the profits from his thefts). He has his freedom. What are the odds he'll make his court appearance (1 in a million....a billion perhaps?).
Received some bogus credit card apps and mail from California to Boston... bills and other personal mail.
When actual CC's came in, I was really alarmed. Called the bank, the victim called me, and the cards were worth $25k. From his end he worked USPS and I did from my end with the police and USPS. All wanted nothing to do with the issue.
Postmaster just shrugged... "It's rampant..."
Police... "It's not identity theft until the used a card..."
The scam is so sickingly simple I hesitate to share on a forum. The Md crooks are certainly on the dumb and arrogant side.
Located all the victims in about an hour via google and facebook. Every business on my street got the same deluge of the scam. Police said gangs paid the homeless a bounty by employing them to dumpster dive and steal mail.
BST: KindaNewish (3/21/21), WQuarterFreddie (3/30/21), Meltdown (4/6/21), DBSTrader2 (5/5/21) AKA- unclemonkey on Blow Out
“...dumpster dive and steal mail.”
This!
Shred everything with a good crosscut shredder (home and business).
When they get hard to deal with, bring in your rep or congressman.
I did.
They really backpedaled. Paid me, too.
Theft is an automatic removal.
In case the link dies.
My Saint Set
I would certainly hope so! Stealing can never be justified.