HUNDREDS of homes across Colchester could be receiving mail dating back seven years, after a thief was apparently caught.

Dave Smith, of Speedwell Road, received a letter from Royal Mail, enclosing a card posted in 2003.

He said: “I am furious. It is a ‘thinking of you’ card from my mum, sent to my son, who was living here at the time. He was in hospital seven years ago.

“There was a letter from Royal Mail apologising and saying it had been delayed as a result of theft, which had been recently discovered.

“I spoke to a manager who told me lots of letters had gone out across Colchester. There are probably hundreds of people affected.”

Mr Smith was told someone had been arrested in connection with the theft in the past few days, although Essex Police were unable to confirm this.

He added: “I had been saying there was a problem with the post for years, but no one believed me.”

Sunita Chohan, a spokeswoman for Royal Mail, said: “Royal Mail has a zero-tolerance approach to dishonesty.

“We will always seek to prosecute the tiny minority of people who abuse their position of trust.”