Postal employee proves incompetent thief

This is a good lesson in things not to do when embezzling from your employer. Don't get greedy or sloppy, and don't hang around once it's been carried out. Remember Office Space? Those guys had the right idea, they just screwed up the details. Had this guy been just a little more careful he might have very well gotten away with $400K. damn, some things to keep in mind.....

Theft brings prison term for postal employee
By Onell R. Soto
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

July 26, 2005

A former U.S. Postal Service manager who spent half his 33-year career "accounting for every penny" in his words was sentenced to 2½ years in prison yesterday for stealing more than $430,000 from work. Robert F. Lenz, 55, of Alpine, said he became greedy and took the money after concluding that nobody would miss it because accountants he supervised at the Carmel Mountain processing station had been laid off.

"I'm just screwed up," Lenz said. "I let something like downsizing get to me. . . . I hurt the hand that fed me over 33 years."

Postal officials say layoffs haven't relaxed accounting procedures. After pleading guilty, Lenz paid back the $430,311.71 he stole. Prosecutor John Rice asked a San Diego federal court judge to also impose a $60,000 fine. "Just paying it back doesn't mean it didn't happen," he said, noting that Lenz was allowed to retire with full benefits. Judge Marilyn Huff rejected the request, calling the prison time adequate. She also pinned some blame on supervisors.

"How can the Postal Service not miss $400,000?" she said.

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