2 arrested after thefts, vandalism at community mailboxes

RCMP have made two arrests in connection with break-ins at community mailboxes in Carleton and Victoria counties.

A 33-year-old man has been arrested inthe Carleton County thefts. Another suspect has been arrested in connection with the Victoria County thefts, said Cpl. Mathieu Gallienneof the Woodstock detachment of the RCMP.

However, the investigation is not over.

The large community mailboxes contain individual mail slotsthat are locked. A number of those slots were broken into at community mailboxes inTobique Narrows, Beaconsfield, Gladwyn, Hay Settlement and Hartford.

In some cases mail was stolen, prompting calls to police by Canada Post.

"We had been looking for that [Woodstock] individual for some time," Gallienne said.

"And that individual is alleged to have been committing some fraudwith, actually, one of the credit cards that had been stolen from one of the mailboxes."

Canada post aware

In an email to CBC News, Canada Post spokesperson Hayley Magermans confirmed there were incidents of vandalism at some Woodstock-area mailboxes. Her email did not touch on the Tobique-area mailboxes.

Somebody really interfered with our life.- Diane Mailhiot, victim of vandalism

Magermans said the Woodstock-area mailboxes have been repaired and if customers require new keys they can pick them up at the Woodstock Post Office.

"We take these matters and the security of the mail very seriously," said Magermans.

"As the incidents are under investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further or offer more details," she said.

Privacy breach

Diane Mailhiotof Tobique Narrows said her mailbox was vandalized. She had been waiting for an important document and said she feared it had been stolen.Luckily, the mail attendant discoveredthe letter, unopened, nearby.

"We noticed that the mailboxes were open," Mailhiot said."We found out from one of the neighboursthat it had been vandalized and some of the mail was found on the ground close to the mailboxes," she said.

Mailhiot said she was switched to a community mailbox about eight years ago and until now has not had any problemswith vandalism or theft.

She said it wasn't until driving by the next day after hers was vandalized, seeing the mailboxes still open, that she understood the breach of privacy.

"It felt like, 'Oh, somebody really interfered with our life' that's the way it made me feel," said Mailhiot.

Drugs to blame?

Gallienne said he believes the thefts are related to a growing drug problem in western New Brunswick.

He said he's encountering a high number of methamphetamine users and believesthey may be stealing mail to help feed their drug habit.

He said people often still receive credit cards in the mail which could be used fraudulently.

"The effects on the body and as well as the amount of money that they [need] would lead people to act," said Gallienne.

"They don't think before acting and they need to support that habit. So they will start stealing."