A 30-year-old man has been charged in connection with a series of mail thefts across the Lower Mainland, including in Richmond.
Following a four-month investigation, charges have been laid against Nickolas Kelly, of Surrey.
The investigation began on March 24, when Surrey RCMP received a report of a break and enter and theft of mail that occurred in the 16300-block of 64 Avenue.
Officers with the Surrey RCMP Property Crime Target Team identified a suspect and linked the break and enter to a series of other similar offences in Surrey, Delta, Richmond and North Vancouver.
Kelly was then charged with 17 counts of mail theft related offences and warrants were issued for his arrest, which took place July 7.
According to the RCMP’s Staff Sgt. Ryan Element, acting proactive enforcement officer, “this was a complex investigation with multiple offences in different jurisdictions.
“Mail theft isn’t just inconvenient for victims, it can put them unknowingly at risk for identity theft. Our investigators were quickly able to connect the dots between numerous files resulting in the arrest and charges.”
The RCMP is reminding the public of the importance of securing your mail to prevent being a victim of mail theft and identity theft:
Don’t leave mail in your mailbox. Collect your mail promptly after delivery. Unattended mail is a treasure trove of personal information for potential thieves.
Avoid sending cash or gift cards in the mail.
Plan ahead. If you'll be away, let Canada Post hold your mail until you return or have a neighbour collect your mail.
When shopping online, avoid having packages delivered to your front door if you aren’t home during the day. Instead, have them shipped to your work or to a friend who is home to accept the delivery.
Don’t just recycle. Shred documents that contain personal financial information, such as statements and credit card offers.
Anyone with information about the above investigation, is being asked to contact Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or, if you wish to make an anonymous report, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or www.solvecrime.ca.
