Caught-on-camera package theft prompts holiday advisory from Burnaby police
Mounties in Burnaby are reminding the public to be proactive in protecting packages they plan to get delivered to their homes over the holiday season.
Following the recovery of a recently stolen stroller, RCMP said in a news release Thursday that the holiday season historically brings an increase in thieves targeting unattended deliveries.
Officials said that on Nov. 24 an Amazon package containing a stroller worth more than $1,500 was stolen from the front doorstep of a home in Surrey.
The theft was caught on security camera and the video showed a vehicle with its trunk already open pulling up to the doorstep where the large box was sitting.
Within moments, a woman from the vehicle can be seen grabbing the package and jamming it into the car. The suspect’s face and car’s license plate were not clearly captured in the video.
The next day, police said, the victim of the theft noticed what she believed to be the same stroller for sale on an online marketplace.
The woman contacted police, who determined the listing was based in Burnaby.
On Nov. 26, officers conducted a search warrant at the suspect’s home and recovered the stroller, along with a stolen Mercedes Benz that had been used in the theft.
Officials said the suspect, who was known to police, was arrested for possession of stolen property, dangerous driving, breach of conditions and on an unrelated warrant.
Police are still looking to identify the woman in the video, adding that she has tattoos on both her hands.
“Our Prolific Offender Suppression Team worked quickly and was thankfully successful in being able to reunite the victim with her stolen stroller,” said Cpl. Mike Kalanj with Burnaby RCMP in the news release. “In this case, even a security camera system wasn’t enough to deter thieves. We are urging everyone to take precautions with deliveries over the holidays.”
In order to help prevent future thefts, Burnaby RCMP’s Crime Prevention Unit is providing tips on how people can protect their deliveries from what are commonly referred to as “porch pirates”:
- Get your packages delivered to a secure pickup location, such as a locker, that some online retailers provide
- Install visible security cameras on your property
- Require a signature upon delivery for important or expensive items
- Consider sending some packages to your workplace instead of home
- Get a lockbox for your home to protect deliveries
“Even small steps can make a big difference in protecting packages from holiday Grinches that want to put your hard-earned holiday purchases under their own tree,” said Kalanj.
Anyone who is a victim of package theft in the Burnaby area is asked to report the incident to police at 604-646-9999.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that is banned at Queen’s Park.
CTE: Researchers believe widespread brain injury may contribute to veteran suicide rate
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore
The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore on Thursday after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city's port.
First in Canada procedure performed at London, Ont. hospital
A London man has become the first person in Canada to receive a robotic assisted surgery on his spine. Dave Myeh suffered from debilitating, chronic back pain that led to sciatica in his right now and extreme pain in his lower back.