TALLANGATTA post office manager Susan Mary Butler wanted a Christmas present for her daughter — so she helped herself to someone else’s gift.
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She opened an envelope at the post office and stole a $50 Bunnings voucher that was tucked inside a birthday card.
Butler later swapped this for three other cards — two for $20 and one for $10.
She pleaded guilty to the incident in Wodonga Magistrates Court yesterday.
Magistrate John O’Callaghan said he decided not to convict Butler for the theft after giving consideration to her good work in the community.
He placed Butler, 53, of Queen Elizabeth Drive, Tallangatta, on a 12-month good behaviour bond.
Police told the court Butler had intercepted an envelope at the post office between November 27 and 28 last year.
She had opened the envelope and grabbed the Bunnings voucher, but did not do anything with it straight away.
But then on December 10 she went to Bunnings’ Wodonga store and exchanged the voucher for the three other cards.
Evidence of what Butler did was provided through a sales receipt and the capturing of the incident by security footage at the store.
Later, Australia Post investigators received a complaint from the victim that her birthday card had never arrived at her home.
Police said the investigators then learnt of the Bunnings security footage and after watching it, were able to identify the suspect as Butler.
Butler admitted to the theft when she was interviewed at Wodonga police station on February 18, but came up with a different excuse.
Police said Butler told them the voucher had fallen out of an envelope she unsuccessfully tried to find it.
Butler said she had hung onto the card for some time so someone could claim the voucher, but no one did.
It was then, she said, that she went and swapped the voucher.
When asked why she stole the card, she told police: “I don’t know.”