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Three arrested in series of mail thefts

Langley City apartments hit; trio are now out on bail.

Langley RCMP have arrested a woman and two men believed to be responsible for mail theft at numerous Langley City apartment buildings last week.

More than 30 Criminal Code charges have been recommended for the 20-year-old Langley woman, 27-year-old Langley man and a 32-year-old man of no fixed address.

These break-ins occurred in the first week of June and mail was stolen at six separate apartment buildings, said police spokesperson Cpl. Holly Marks.

Surveillance video was provided to police to assist with the investigation and photographs were circulated to Langley RCMP members by email, and at roll call by the lead investigator.

On June 5, while patrolling Langley City, an officer, who is brand-new to the detachment, spotted two of the three in the 20400 block of Douglas Crescent, said Marks.

“The officer conducted a street check and found the two to be in possession of tools used for break-ins and stolen mail.  It is possible they may have been preparing for another break-in,” said Marks.

Both were arrested for break and enter and the investigation suggests there was a third individual involved in some of the break-ins.

Langley RCMP has recommended charges for the trio , including multiple counts of break and enter, possession of break-in tools, theft of mail, possession of stolen property, and breach of recognizance.  They have now been released from custody.

The investigation has been quite extensive and required  collaboration between several units within the detachment, said Marks.

Teamwork between general duty, the Crime Reduction Unit and the Core Enforcement Team contributed to this investigation coming to a swift resolution.

Langley RCMP would like to offer some prevention tips to the public to minimize the opportunities for mail theft.

They suggest retrieving mail as soon as possible after delivery; not leaving mail unattended in your mailbox overnight; having someone retrieve it on a daily basis if you are away and checking the physical security of your mailbox.

For a small fee, Canada Post will hold mail at the delivery office and deliver it upon your return. If you receive mail that is not yours, do not leave it in an unprotected area. Write “Delivered to wrong address” or “not at this address” on the front of the envelope. Deposit the letter into an outgoing mail slot of a Canada Post mailbox at your earliest convenience.

The RCMP works closely with Canada Post postal inspectors to combat mail and identity theft. Report any suspicious activity to police.

If you see a damaged or overturned mailbox, contact Canada Post at 1-800-267-1177



Monique Tamminga

About the Author: Monique Tamminga

Monique brings 20 years of award-winning journalism experience to the role of editor at the Penticton Western News. Of those years, 17 were spent working as a senior reporter and acting editor with the Langley Advance Times.
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