Home / Crime and Justice / Thief Jailed in Fake £52,000 Post Office Robbery
Thief Jailed in Fake £52,000 Post Office Robbery
4 Nov
Summary
- Thief jailed for three and a half years for staged £52,000 robbery.
- Messages proved the robbery was a pre-arranged 'pretend' event.
- Postmistress, who denied wrongdoing, died before her trial.
Lee Stevens, 39, has received a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence for his involvement in a staged £52,000 robbery at a Post Office. The scheme was a collaboration with the postmistress, Dawn Rankin, who has since died and denied any wrongdoing before her passing. Messages uncovered by police clearly indicated that the robbery, which involved Stevens binding the postmistress and taking money from a safe, was a pre-arranged fabrication.
Stevens admitted to conspiracy to commit theft, citing that the postmistress was being pursued for money and feared an audit. He claimed she provided him with the money, and he helped stage the binding before leaving with half the sum, approximately £26,000. This incident occurred on August 18, 2023, in Newcastle.
Following this, Stevens, who has a significant criminal record, was involved in a dangerous high-speed police chase reaching 130mph while under the influence and driving a stolen vehicle on December 6, 2023. He was later found with handgun ammunition and a baton after being released on bail in February 2026.
Although sentenced to three and a half years, Stevens effectively served his time due to the length spent on remand, which was equivalent to over five years. He was also disqualified from driving for three years and ordered to pass an extended test.
