Anthony is fed up with ordering stuff on Amazon and then never receiving them.
And it’s because of his “idiotic” neighbours, he says.
Like many condo buildings in Burnaby, Anthony’s has a central mailbox area in which Amazon packages are often left on the floor or in a little cubby area if the recipients aren’t at home.
Sometimes the packages are “piled high” in this area until people come down to get them.
“This wouldn’t be so bad if the area was truly secure, but it isn’t,” Anthony said. “People who live in the building either steal packages from this area or they let people in through the front door who end up stealing them. I’ve seen people actually holding the door for strangers, which we’re not supposed to do. And since everyone is wearing masks these days, there’s no way to identify anyone.”
This all follows a criminal case tied to a string of mail and identity thefts stretching across the Lower Mainland – including Burnaby - that could be wound up by year's end.
Vancouver Police Department officers arrested Mark Andrew Sarsfield in January.
He has been charged with:
- three counts of breaking and entering with intent to commit an indictable offense;
- three counts of theft from mail;
- two breaches of a probation order;
- two counts of identity theft;
- four counts of possession of stolen mail, mail container or key;
- one count of assault;
- two counts of possession of a firearm without licence or registration, and possession of a firearm contrary to an order.
The alleged offences occurred all over the Lower Mainland, including Vancouver, Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, Abbotsford, Richmond and Langley. There are also charges connected with allegations from Burnaby.
In January of this year, the Burnaby RCMP released a video compilation of thieves gaining access to apartment buildings and breaking into several mailboxes. The thefts took place in December 2018 and January 2019.
The case involved the RCMP's prolific offender suppression team and resulted in at least four other people facing charges related to similar situations throughout the Lower Mainland.
It’s just one of many crime sprees that target mail theft.
- With files from Jeremy Hainsworth
