Mail theft a growing concern following rash of mailbox break-ins in GTA
Thieves are allegedly targeting community mailboxes looking to rob them of packages, cheques, and financial documents they can use to steal identities.
Toronto police have charged three men in connection with a slew of mailbox thefts, after finding a large quantity of stolen mail, financial and government documents, and tools.
“Mail theft is an ongoing issue, but what we are seeing now is the theft of mail from community mailboxes,” said Insp. Paul Rinkoff, with Toronto Police Services’ Financial Crimes Unit.
A Mississauga woman is frustrated, saying her mailbox was broken into on almost a daily basis for the past three months.
Corinne Clifton said she has had to pay to redirect her mail to keep it from being stolen.
"Mine has been hit several times, and my other neighbours have had theirs hit as well. They are typically looking to steal cheques and packages, but they also are taking financial information, credit and investment information," said Clifton.
Clifton said she is worried her identity will be stolen.
“I have had to have my mail forwarded to a friend's house at a cost of $100. Equifax called and said people are trying to take out credit cards in my name," she added.
Lisa Liu, a spokesperson for Canada Post, said in a statement to CTV News Toronto, “We can confirm that this community mailbox site has been vandalized over the past several weeks. Our Security and Investigation team is aware, and local law enforcement is currently investigating. As these incidents are being investigated, it would be inappropriate to comment further or provide details. We take these matters and the security of the mail very seriously.”
“If you are a victim of identity theft and items are taken from your mailbox, make sure you report it to the financial issuer (bank or credit card company) and the police,” Rinkoff said.
Clifton is frustrated that despite her and her neighbours' complaints to Canada Post, the problem continues.
"When we contact Canada Post, it's basically crickets. They pass the buck and say they will pass on the information," said Clifton.
Liu said Canada Post is going to upgrade Clifton’s community mailbox to a newer model sometime this spring, as part of its normal operations to review its equipment to customers.
“This is an ongoing project across the country. More information will be provided closer to the installation date,” Liu said.
The newer mailbox may be more secure, but until then, Clifton and her neighbours fear their current mailbox remains a target for thieves.
Anyone who believes they have not received a parcel should contact Canada Post’s Customer Service so that we can look into it and potentially work with the sender, who may initiate a claim with Canada Post. If customers believe they have not received a specific piece of letter mail, they should also contact the sender.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING | Ottawa gives final approval for Rogers $26B purchase of Shaw
Rogers Communications Inc's $26-billion takeover of Shaw Communications Inc. cleared the last regulatory hurdle Friday, more than two years after the deal was first announced.

Donald Trump indicted; 1st ex-president charged with crime
Donald Trump has been indicted by a Manhattan grand jury, prosecutors and defense lawyers said Thursday, making him the first former U.S. president to face a criminal charge and jolting his bid to retake the White House next year.
Police find 6 bodies, including 1 child, in St. Lawrence River
The bodies of six people, including one child, were found in the St. Lawrence River Thursday afternoon after an air search involving the Canadian Coast Guard, the Akwesasne Mohawk Police said.
BREAKING | Oscar Pistorius denied parole as Reeva Steenkamp's parents oppose his early release
Disgraced South African Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius has been denied parole, the lawyer for Reeva Steenkamp's parents said after the parole hearing.
House abandoned by couple who 'disappeared' years ago nightmare for neighbour on upscale street
A Toronto man, whose neighbours vanished eight years ago and left their home completely abandoned, said he's fed up living next door to a property that is in complete disarray.
Former Conservative leader Erin O'Toole not seeking re-election, leaving this spring
Former Conservative leader Erin O'Toole says he will not seek re-election and plans to resign his seat this spring. The Ontario MP led the Conservatives and served as official Opposition leader from August 2020 until February 2022, when a majority of his caucus voted to remove him from the post.
Trump's indictment in New York: Here's what to know
The vote of a Manhattan grand jury to indict the Republican former president on charges related to hush money payments made on his behalf during his 2016 presidential campaign catapults the now-candidate Donald Trump into a new era of legal risk and complicates his attempts to return to the White House.
Online-streaming bill closer to passing after House OKs most Senate amendments
The Liberal government's controversial online-streaming bill is one step closer to passing after the House of Commons approved most of the Senate's amendments to the proposed legislation.
'Nova Scotians' sense of safety was rocked': RCMP failures dominate inquiry's final report into 2020 mass shooting
A long list of failures by Nova Scotia RCMP leadership and policing systems dominate the final report into Nova Scotia's April 2020 mass shooting.