Royal Mail Probes Estimated 600 Letters Dumped Near Derry

Hundreds of unopened letters, many of them apparently from health trusts, government departments and banks, were found dumped near Derry in Northern Ireland, and some recipients may have missed important correspondence. Royal Mail has launched an investigation, according to the BBC, the Derry Journal and Derry Now.

The BBC reported that an estimated 600 letters have now been handed in to the office of Mark H Durkan, a Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Foyle. Police are also making inquiries.

What it means for people waiting on post

Durkan said the mail appeared to include health appointments, letters from HMRC, benefit decisions, housing offers and bank cards. He described them as vital items that affect many people's lives.

He told the BBC's Evening Extra program that the bag contained information people were waiting for and would never have received had it not been found. He said he fears some residents may have missed important letters, which could affect their access to essential services.

Durkan also said the letters are likely to contain confidential and sensitive information. The BBC reported that the mail was personal in nature.

Royal Mail has not said which addresses or how many households are affected. A spokesperson said its teams would recover and process the items so they can go back into the postal network and be delivered to customers.

How the mail was found

According to the BBC, a member of the public on Mobuoy Road, on the outskirts of Derry, found a bag on Wednesday and opened it. Inside were what Durkan described as hundreds of items of unopened mail. The finder contacted Durkan, who passed the letters to police.

A second bag was later handed in to his office by a different person. Durkan said it was found in a different place, in the Victoria Road area. A woman who stopped at a layby there to photograph a sunset saw a bundle of mail over a fence, almost on the bank of the River Foyle, he told the BBC.

Durkan said he understands other similar bags were strewn around the area. The Derry Journal and Derry Now both reported his account that multiple bags of undelivered mail had been discovered on a country road.

What police and Royal Mail say

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said it received a report on Wednesday about postal mail found in the Mobuoy Road area. Follow-up inquiries led officers to find and seize a further quantity of mail, it said. Police said inquiries are continuing and that officers are working with Royal Mail.

Royal Mail told the Derry Journal it was aware of an incident involving mail being discarded at Mobuoy and was investigating. It has not disclosed how the mail came to be dumped or how long it had gone undelivered.

What the local politician is demanding

Durkan called the discovery “absolutely shocking” and said he wants a full investigation and proper accountability. He also wants an apology from Royal Mail setting out what action it intends to take.

He said Royal Mail's service problems have been well documented in recent years. He added that he recently met company representatives at Stormont to raise serious concerns about service across the Derry area. The Derry Journal reported that he has been in contact with Royal Mail management and the police, and that he wants the letters to reach their intended recipients.

What happens next

Royal Mail's investigation and the police inquiries are both continuing. The sources do not say when the recovered letters will be delivered.

Read next
FBI Investigates Suspicious Letters Sent to Senators and State Election Offices
Hackers Leak Personal Details of Tens of Thousands of DHS Staff
Supermarket Freezer Hack Spreads to Six Countries: The Key Numbers

Around Prague, based on reporting by BBC, Derry Journal, Derry Now