Squad catches postmen selling stolen Wimbledon Tennis tickets

It was game, set and match to Merton as the Wimbledon Ticket Tout Squad, which is made up of representatives from the Police, Merton Council, Wandsworth Council and the Benefit Fraud Squad, caught two postmen selling stolen tickets to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships.

The squad operates throughout the tournament to prevent street trading offences, such as counterfeit clothing or food vans without the relevant licence, and ticket tout, who may have stolen or forged tickets. So far they have caught 46 people for street trading or ticket touting offences.

Last week the squad noticed the men acting suspiciously near to the All England Lawn Tennis Club and the police officers intervened when they saw the men offering tickets for sale. The squad liased with the Club and discovered the tickets had been stolen through the post from a couple in Worthing.

Officers then contacted Worthing Post Office and both men were identified as post office workers who had booked the day as annual leave. The following day a home visit to the suspects’ houses by Worthing CID and Wimbledon Police uncovered further stolen mail. Both the police and Consignia are now investigating the case.

Councillor Linda Kirby, Merton Council’s Cabinet Member for Environmental Quality, said, “If it wasn’t for the co-operation of the authorities who have formed the Ticket Tout Squad then this wouldn’t have happened. By working together the squad has helped to stamp out illegally activity around the Championships.”