The theft of a community mailbox has prompted RCMP to warn the public to pick up their mail as soon as possible after delivery.
A single Canada Post mailbox was reported missing from Delwood Place in the Deer Ridge neighbourhood on Oct. 15.
The group mailbox that was stolen was not fixed to a cement pad, but instead had a weighted base of several hundred pounds, said Jon Hamilton, spokesperson for Canada Post.
The mailbox was found in a farmer’s field in Sturgeon County, pried open and emptied the same day, confirmed Morinville RCMP.
Notices were put on the adjoining mailboxes to notify residents that their mail was being held and would be sent to the nearest post office for pick up, said Hamilton.
Mailbox theft is a rare occurrence, he said.
“A fraction of one per cent have ever been impacted.”
Canada Post is currently working with postal investigators and local RCMP in the matter.
If it becomes a reoccurring issue, Canada Post may “harden” the mailbox by adding additional security measures or use “bait mail” to track the mail and guide them to the individual(s) who may have tampered with it, explained Hamilton.
If residents were expecting mail or a parcel and didn’t receive it, they may want to keep a close eye on their credit card statements, he said.
If you use a community mailbox, pick up your mail daily or as soon as possible after delivery, advised Cpl. Laurel Kading with St. Albert RCMP.
If you are expecting a parcel at your door, bring it inside as soon as possible or arrange for someone to do it for you.
“Minimize the opportunity,” she said. Thieves can use cheques, credit cards and other documents often mailed to assume an identity or gain credit under someone else’s name.
“Anytime there is valuables, left in mailboxes or (visible in) vehicles, it becomes easy access to people’s property … and a temptation for criminals,” she said.
Mailbox theft is a rare occurrence in both St. Albert and Morinville, confirmed RCMP from both detachments.
New Canada Post community mailboxes will be rolled out to St. Albert by spring 2015. The new boxes will be fixed to a cement pad and have two-door access for mail carriers, which is more secure than the one-door model, said Hamilton.
