Postal Worker Charged With Stealing Gift Card

CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. (AP) -- A Crawfordsville postal worker has been accused of stealing a $125 gift card and using it for purchases at a Kroger store.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Barbara Johnson of Hillsboro contacted the store after her granddaughter did not receive the card in the mail. U.S. Postal Service special agent Elden Hartman says Johnson was told the card was used for transactions between Nov. 9-13.

Hartman says 28-year-old postal worker Brandon Long was later identified in a store video.

Postal agents arrested Long after preparing a sting involving an envelope containing a greeting card and a hidden transmitter that alerted them when the envelope was opened.

Long was arrested on two counts of theft and one count of receiving stolen property and is scheduled to appear in Montgomery County Superior Court on Jan. 26.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)