Homeowners in the Sheffield area were left in the dark when they awaited light bulb deliveries that never came. The Star reports that postman Paul Hallam, 56, stole packages including DVDs, Baileys liqueur samples and low-energy light bulbs.

Last November, Royal Mail's north east delivery office received notices that packages were not reaching their destination, which led to an investigation. A search of Hallam's house revealed that the postman had not only stolen 11 first-class packages, but he had also been accepting money to deliver mobile advertisement flyers.

The thefts are relatively minor, but Hallam faces nearly $1,000 in fines and he will serve 120 hours of unpaid work as community reparation for his crimes.

Unfortunately, light bulb thefts are increasingly common - both in the UK and America. Earlier this year, a maintenance supervisor in Washington County, Ohio was arrested after $40,000 worth of light bulbs were not delivered to locals. Additionally, three arrests were made in Indiana for light bulb thefts.