Aldergrove Star

MP Mark Warawa says resources are being put into the war against mail theft.

Organized crime is targeting Langley’s mailboxes and MP Mark Warawa wants Canada Post to make it harder for thieves to break in.

He is getting involved, speaking with Canada Post and organizing a meeting with Langley’s mayors to look at options to improve postal security.
 
“I am arranging a briefing for the mayors along with the RCMP to give them a good glimpse into the amount of crime involved in postal theft and to look at what Canada Post is doing. I also want to look at what options we have to make the delivery of mail safer,” said Warawa.

“Langley is a hot spot,” he said. “These are challenging times with organized crime. One thing that would help is appropriate sentencing for repeat offenders.”

The theft of mail is overseen by gangs who organize crystal meth and crack addicts to break into postal boxes, taking people’s credit card and identity information, he said.

Crystal meth users are up all hours of the day and night and are perfect candidates for this kind of work, said Warawa.

Once the addicts have acquired the mail, credit card and identity-making factories are set up, usually inside a rented, rural home. These factories translate into millions of dollars for criminals and drained bank accounts for victims.

When police bust these operations, there is almost always illegal weapons involved, supplied by organized crime, he said.

“Mail theft is all part of a bigger picture,” said Warawa.

Warawa was moved to action after watching a W-Five episode dealing with mail security.

“The Government of Canada is committed to a high quality postal service. Canadians expect no less,” said Warawa.

“The vast majority of mail in Canada is delivered securely, and on time more than 96 per cent of the time.”

But he recognizes it isn’t good enough.

Canada Post is taking new measures to improve mail security, including replacing the master mail box locks across the country, he said.

As this problem grows “people have to be very careful about what they receive in the mail and what they mail out,” said Warawa.

Canada Post said it is not responsible for people’s mail after it is delivered. This is no comfort to the hundreds of Langley residents like Lucy Baratta, whose community mailbox had been broken into three times in the last two months.

“It’s not like we are notified about it. I phoned the post office — they said phone police. I phone police, they say phone the post office,” she said at the time.

Canada Post spokesperson Lillian Au said the problem isn’t easy to solve.

“When thieves are determined, they will find a way to break in, whether into your car, house or mailbox — there is no lock in place that is fool-proof.

“All we can do is try our best,” she said. She said new locks have been installed but they still get in.

“Know your billing cycle. If you miss a piece of mail, that can be an indicator you’ve been a victim,” she said.

One neighbourhood in Walnut Grove was notified with a letter from Canada Post at the community box, warning of a break-in.