Alberta RCMP is reminding residents of ‘thieves’ favorite things’ to educate the public about mail theft.
Each week a new verse will be posted on Alberta RCMP social media accounts with #FavoriteThings (lyrics below).
In 2018, the months with the highest mail thefts were December and January.
December 2018 saw approximately 130 mail thefts while January had over 120. In all of 2018 there were close to 1,000 mail thefts in Alberta RCMP jurisdiction.
One of Alberta RCMP’s favourite things is getting reports and calls of suspicious activity.
Reports play an important role in our investigations. They tell us where to look, who to look for and where to patrol in the future.
Albertans are urged to check their mail every day, especially during the Christmas season. If you are going to shop online, plan to be home when packages are delivered or arrange to pick up items from a secure location. If you are planning to be away, arrange for someone to check your mail or use Canada Post’s Hold Mail service.
It’s important to track online purchases because scammers often send emails requesting payment for delivery fees or overdue payments.
Canada Post will never send an email requesting money for parcels not delivered. If you’re not sure of an email’s legitimacy, call the company using the contact information from their official website or other trusted source. If something doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t.
Follow us on Facebook (@RCMPinAlberta), Twitter (@RCMPAlberta) and #FavoriteThings for more tips on keeping your mail safe.
If you see something suspicious, report it to your local police service. If you see a crime in progress, call 911. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the “P3 Tips” app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store.
‘Parcels on porches and shipments not hidden/Dark unlit door steps and zero cares given/Expensive packages tied up with strings/These are a few of thieves’ favourite things.
‘Big branded boxes and gift cards a plenty/Letters and parcels and presents so many/Free and unguarded, yes, all of your blings/These are a few of thieves’ favorite things.
‘Post boxes not checked and cash in the mail/Sending financials is an epic fail/Shopping on websites and all that this brings/These are a few of thieves’ favourite things.
‘Yards with full landscapes with no open sightlines/Boxes that stay on your step are a goldmine/Leaving the lights off? It’s not bright like Spring/These are a few of thieves’ favourite things.
‘When it’s sketchy/Please report it/We really will be glad/Just simply remember our favourite things/And mail theft won’t be so bad .
-Submitted