Surrey RCMP charge man with 17 mail theft offences

Following a four-month investigation, charges have been laid against a 30-year-old Surrey man in relation to a series of mail thefts that occurred in multiple Lower Mainland jurisdictions.

The investigation began on March 24, 2020, when Surrey RCMP received a report of a break and enter and theft of mail that occurred in the 16300-block of 64 Avenue. Officers with the Surrey RCMP Property Crime Target Team (PCTT) took conduct of the investigation, identified a suspect, and linked the break and enter to a series of other similar offences in Surrey, Delta, Richmond and North Vancouver.

On July 2, 2020, Nickolas Kelly was charged with 17 counts of mail theft related offences and warrants were issued for his arrest. Nickolas Kelly was arrested on July 7, 2020 and has remained in custody since. This was a complex investigation with multiple offences in different jurisdictions, said Staff Sergeant Ryan Element, acting Proactive Enforcement Officer.

Mail theft isn’t just inconvenient for victims, it can put them unknowingly at risk for identity theft. Our investigators were quickly able to connect the dots between numerous files resulting in the arrest and charges.

Surrey RCMP is reminding the public of the importance of securing your mail to prevent being a victim of mail theft and identity theft:

Don’t leave mail in your mailbox.

Collect your mail promptly after delivery. Unattended mail is a treasure trove of personal information for potential thieves.

Avoid sending cash or gift cards in the mail.

Plan ahead. If you'll be away, let Canada Post hold your mail until you return or have a neighbor collect your mail.

When shopping online, avoid having packages delivered to your front door if you aren’t home during the day. Instead, have them shipped to your work or to a friend who is home to accept the delivery.

Don’t just recycle.

Shred documents that contain personal financial information, such as statements and credit card offers.