Calgary police respond to alarming increase of mailbox thefts

Calgary police say, since January, there have been 35 mailbox thefts reported in District 5. The latest incidents occurred earlier this month.

Calgary police say two men are facing nearly 100 charges following a string of community mailbox break-ins in the city’s northeast as part of what officers are calling a growing problem.

Investigators say the arrests came after residents reported suspicious activity in Skyview Ranch, leading to a quick response and the recovery of stolen mail belonging to dozens of people.

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Police and Canada Post are now urging residents to stay vigilant, as concerns grow about identity theft and financial fraud tied to stolen mail.

According to the Calgary Police Service, the investigation began around 2:30 a.m. on April 21, after reports of two men actively breaking into community mailboxes in the area of Skyview Point Heath and Skyview Point Green N.E.

With the help of the HAWCS helicopter, officers located a suspect vehicle and conducted a traffic stop.

“As a result of some really switched on members of our community, they called to notify us of suspicious behavior,” said Staff Sgt. Geoff Gawlinski with the District 5 general investigative unit.

“Our members responded and we were able to locate some offenders in the area who had recently just stolen some mail from one of the community mailboxes.”

Police say a large quantity of stolen mail, along with break-and-enter tools, was found inside the vehicle.

“Going through all the mail they had in their possession, we were able to lead up with the appropriate charges,” Gawlinski said.

Investigators believe more than 35 victims were impacted.

Nearly 100 charges laid

Kulwinder Singh, 35, of Chestermere, is facing multiple charges, including 38 counts of theft of mail, along with charges related to possession of stolen property, mischief and break-in tools.

He is also charged with possession of a stolen credit card and is scheduled to appear in court on May 1.

Jagroop Singh, 27, of Calgary, faces 38 counts of theft of mail, along with a range of additional charges, including possession of stolen credit cards, identity documents, controlled substances and break-in instruments.

He is additionally charged with disguise with intent and possession of stolen property over $5,000.

He is scheduled to appear in court on April 30.

How the thefts are happening

While police say the exact methods can vary, forced entry appears to be a common factor.

“I don’t know the exact specifics, but I think the commonality is using some sort of pry tool, to get to get into those boxes,” Gawlinski said.

Police say they are working with Canada Post to address vulnerabilities.

“We have been working with Canada Post, to see what we can do to improve the security on those boxes, to try and minimize the frequency of these events.”

Authorities say stolen mail can be a gateway to more serious crimes, including identity theft and financial fraud.

“There’s also things you’re getting, like your bank cards, passports and other and bills,” Gawlinski said.

“All that is information that’s valuable and can lead to you becoming a victim of identity theft and that those documents could use for financial gain.”

“So when you know something’s coming in the mail, that’s when you should really be checking your mailbox daily,” Gawlinski said.

‘Alarming uptick’ in northeast Calgary

Police say the issue is becoming more frequent, particularly in northeast communities.

“In District 5 alone we’ve had 37 different mailbox thefts reported since the start of the year, which has been an alarming uptick,” Gawlinski said.

District 5 covers much of northeast Calgary, east of Deerfoot Trail and north of 16 Avenue.

“It’s primarily the area where it’s happening, but this is also occurring all over the city.”

Officers are now urging residents to report anything suspicious.

“If there is something happening right at the time, dial 911, but if you’re just seeing something suspicious or you’re not sure, then just call our regular non-emergency number.”

Residents shaken after mailbox break-ins

For people living in Skyview Ranch, the thefts are hitting close to home.

“We were actually, coming back from work last week when I noticed the mailbox down my street was actually kind of vandalized,” said resident Sumeet Singh.

“It looked like several documents were stolen and everything, so we were in a shock, actually.”

Singh says the incident was especially concerning because sensitive financial documents were expected in the mail.

“Ironically, my wife’s, credit card was in the mail at the time, so we were kind of really in distress. We had to call the bank and report that the card might have been stolen.”

He says neighbours in the area are also increasingly worried.

“They’re really concerned about, the crime going up here in northeast,” Singh said.

“A few months back my car was vandalized here as well so we really need more of a police vehicle presence here at times too.”

Singh also raised concerns about the condition of community mailboxes.

“I heard that these boxes are kind of outdated, they’ve been here for at least the last 10 years so I think Canada Post may have to do work on that.”

Despite the concerns, Singh says the recent arrests are reassuring.

“That’s really good news if the authorities are working on this thing, it makes me feels like this is taken seriously and things can hopefully be more secure here in northeast.”

Canada Post responds

In a statement to CTV News, Canada Post confirmed multiple incidents in Calgary and says it is working with police.

“We take these situations, as well as the security of the mail, very seriously,” read the statment.

“We do not publicly disclose specific information on incident trends, our security measures or general information about our equipment, as doing so would undermine their effectiveness.

“Our security and investigations team works with local law enforcement authorities in Calgary and across the country. We also maintain a comprehensive approach to monitoring, responding to and mitigating incidents involving community mailboxes and our other street furniture (street letter boxes and relay boxes).”

Tips to protect your mail

Both police and Canada Post are encouraging residents to take precautions, especially when expecting important documents.

Canada Post also recommends:

• pick up your mail daily;
• if you plan to be away, use Canada Post’s Hold Mail service to suspend delivery until your return; and
• track your items online or in the Canada Post mobile app.

Customers concerned about identity fraud are encouraged to contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and credit bureaus.

Authorities say community awareness also played a key role in this case and could help prevent future crimes.

“Having community involvement really helps with success with CPS and usually results in good endings for us,” Gawlinski said.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact them at 403-266-1234 or reach out anonymously to Crime Stoppers.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact police by calling 403-266-1234. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers through any of the following methods:

• TALK: 1-800-222-8477
• TYPE: www.calgarycrimestoppers.org
• APP: P3 Tips