To provide a bundling and strapping device which receives newspapers directly from an insert device and a conveyor and forms folded stacks of newspapers, and method.

The bundling and strapping device for forming a series of stacks of nearly flat elements comprises a gripper conveyor and a belt conveyor. The gripper conveyor, when the series of stacks comprise a first stack and at least one following stack, each can hold elements so as to release one element, and has a plurality of grippers above the elements and travels to the downstream direction. The belt conveyor can receive the elements released from the grippers, travels to the downstream side adjacent to the gripper conveyor, moves the elements to the direction of the receiving device to form a first stack. The gripper conveyor can release the elements at a first point while the first stack is formed, and can release the elements at a second point of the downstream side while the elements travels from the recessed position to the operation position.