POLICE are hunting a mystery thief who has been pinching post containing credit cards, plane tickets and medical records over the past month.

Royal Mail is also investigating the allegations following complaints from high street businesses and residents in Lower Camden, Chislehurst.

Travel agents Travelcare, based in the high street, received no post at all on February 5, when its usual delivery is about 100 items a day.

Manager Eddie Mears said: "People are not getting plane tickets and valuable insurance policies because of this.

"We believe we could have lost up to 100 items, including people's medical records and credit card details. It's difficult because we can't know what has been lost until people tell us.

"I have not been officially informed that something is going on. It took the postman to tell me that mail was being stolen.

"This is disgusting. People trust the mail and now there are all kinds of rumours going round the town about what could be going on."

Lower Camden resident Rebecca May, 22, received compensation after a gift from her boyfriend disappeared in the mail.

She said: "I had waited anxiously for two days for a special delivery letter posted by my boyfriend.

"He had sent me some cash and gift vouchers so that I could buy clothes to start my first job after university. I had been depending on this but it never arrived and it caused quite a lot hassle and worry.

"However, the Post Office did deal with the compensation claim quite quickly and we received a cheque in full settlement within a week."

Royal Mail spokesman Helen Fox confirmed police are investigating and added: "Royal Mail takes the safety and security of its customers' mail very seriously.

"We can assure customers that we are fully investigating a number of complaints regarding mail which has failed to arrive in the Chislehurst area.

"Royal Mail will take every appropriate measure to redress the situation which we acknowledge is unacceptable."

swarden@london.newsquest.co.uk