While Canada Post is busy transitioning neighbourhoods to community mailboxes, the West Shore RCMP has been preoccupied investigating a string break-ins and thefts from existing multi-unit mailboxes in Langford and Highlands.
Between the end of August and late September, seven incidents of community mailboxes being broken into and the contents stolen.
According to West Shore RCMP, the mailboxes were forced open in overnight break-ins. Police are investigating the possibility that the incidents are related due to their proximity to each other.
While stolen mail is a serious issue, detachment spokesperson Const. Alex Berube said police are also looking into possible identity theft. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 always a risk,B次元官网网址� he said.
Berube said identity theft techniques often include B次元官网网址渄umpster divingB次元官网网址� and mail theft. The goal of these acts is to obtain key pieces of personal information about a potential victim, found on such items as bank or credit card statements.
RCMP are encouraging residents to pick up their mail daily and not leave anything inside the boxes overnight.
Anita BrunckhurstB次元官网网址檚 mother was a victim of one of these break-ins. Brunckhurst picks up her motherB次元官网网址檚 mail from the community mailbox near Humpback and Irwin roads in Langford. It was broken into at the end of August and it took Canada Post about a month to replace the box, she said.
B次元官网网址淭he whole front swung open like a door, you could see everything,B次元官网网址� she said, noting it looked like the box had been pried open with a crowbar.
Brunckhurst said identity theft was their biggest concern.
B次元官网网址淚 still wonder if mail is missing,B次元官网网址� she said, adding they had no way of knowing what might have been taken.
She said Canada Post told her they had held her motherB次元官网网址檚 mail from the time the break-in was reported, but when she went to pick it up, there only seemed to be about a dayB次元官网网址檚 worth. B次元官网网址淢om usually receives a lot more mail than that,B次元官网网址� Brunckhurst said.
She was also disappointed with the new box, which was installed at the same location even though residents wanted it moved to a safer area. B次元官网网址淭he metal doesnB次元官网网址檛 feel as thick,B次元官网网址� she said, adding that it also featured larger compartments for packages, making it more appealing to thieves. B次元官网网址淚 check frequently now just to make sure the box is empty.B次元官网网址� She said she never knows when the mail will be dropped off as the times often fluctuate.
One of her other concerns was how hard it was to track down someone at Canada Post to notify them. B次元官网网址淚 checked a number of phone books and I was surprised.B次元官网网址� Brunckhurst said she thought the number would have been included with other government services, but couldnB次元官网网址檛 find it anywhere. B次元官网网址淚t is alarming; we have a lot more community boxes going in.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭he cutbacks are really harming basic service,B次元官网网址� she said, but she didnB次元官网网址檛 blame local employees. B次元官网网址淚 believe the post office employees are trying really hard B次元官网网址� I donB次元官网网址檛 think they can spread themselves as thin as expected.B次元官网网址�
Anick Losier, a spokesperson for Canada Post, said in an emailed statement that criminals are determined regardless of the target and Canada Post is committed to doing everything possible to support police in their efforts to catch those individuals.
Losier couldnB次元官网网址檛 go into specifics on what actions Canada Post was taking to deter and stop property crimes due to the fact that exposing them would aid those committing the crimes. But promised efforts include everything from equipment to monitoring.
Berube said RCMP are B次元官网网址渨orking closely with Canada Post investigators.B次元官网网址�
katie@goldstreamgazette.com
