Postal Clerk Admits $600,000 Stamp Theft

A Howard County postal clerk pilfered more than $600,000 worth of stamps, many of which were sold on eBay at a reduced price, federal authorities said.

Marvin L. Foster, 55, of Rosedale, who worked as a clerk at the Elkridge post office for a decade, pleaded guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court in Baltimore to conspiracy to steal from the U.S. Postal Service.

According to the U.S. attorney's office for Maryland, Foster stole the stamps and then sold them to others for a profit. One of his alleged co-conspirators sold more than $259,000 worth of stamps on eBay for about $229,000, authorities said.

Foster was caught on hidden camera several times in December as he sneaked into the post office supply room and rifled through boxes of "forever" stamps, according to court documents. The stamps, which never expire, come in bricks of 2,000 stamps worth $840 as well as coils of 100 stamps that cost $42.

On Dec. 8, Foster was captured on film creeping into the stock room just after midnight carrying a drawstring bag. When he left, the documents state, "the bag weighed down Foster." The next day, post office workers discovered that 34 bricks of stamps were missing from the stock room and that two boxes of the stamps had been opened from the bottom.

Foster, reached at his home, declined to comment. His attorney, Christopher P. Nieto, did not immediately return a call requesting comment.

On Dec. 14, Foster was again caught on video putting bricks of stamps into a drawstring bag. The same day, the documents state, bricks of stamps showed up on eBay, sold by "CARDking1122."

Foster admitted selling the stamps to "CARDking1122," the documents state. He told investigators he also gave stamps to another man identified only as "E." Foster said "E" had not given him cash but owed him $25,000 to $30,000.