MAIL bosses have brought in new vetting procedures after a gang of their workers teamed up with an escaped convict to steal mail.

Gareth Tuvnes, 24, was even given Royal Mail uniforms to disguise himself so he could take post from "safe" pick-up points, as revealed in later editions of yesterday's Argus.

He used stolen credit cards taken from envelopes to obtain property worth £17,000 after escaping from Prescoed prison in Usk, prosecutor Leighton Hughes told Cardiff crown court.

Tuvnes, of St Michael Street, Pill, Newport, told the police he had used about 50 credit cards and passed some on to acquaintances, and would sometimes obtain property to order.

When asked how many post office workers were involved with him, he said: "They would probably have to shut down the post office if they knew how many were stealing."

Tuvnes was jailed for four years and three months, and banned from driving for a year, after he admitted stealing seven mailbags, escape and driving without due care.m

He also admitted obtaining electrical goods by deception and attempting to obtain £484 by deception from the Money Shop Newport.

He asked the court to take into consideration 42 offences of deception and attempted deception.

After the case, Paul Kelly, Royal Mail area general manager, said there had been three or four incidents relating to criminal intent in the Newport area in the past six months which had led to prosecutions or dismissal.

He said: "We have introduced more stringent vetting procedures for recruitment of postal staff, but incidents of criminal intent by our own staff are rare.

"The vast majority of our postmen and women are honest and hard-working.

"We operate a zero tolerance policy towards the mistreatment of mail in our care and we will take all appropriate action."

Judge Gerald Price described Tuvnes as a "sophisticated criminal".

"The thefts of the mailbags were well-organised crimes planned with Royal Mail employees."

Mr Hughes said that on August 27 Tuvnes received 27 months for conspiring to steal. On September 23 he absconded from Prescoed.

He was at large until October 25, and during that time he persistently offended.