Spike in parcel thefts in Surrey prompts warning from police
Mounties in Surrey are warning the public after a recent spike in parcel thefts from front porches and doorsteps in the city over the past couple of weeks.
Surrey RCMP is asking residents to be on the lookout for "porch pirates" as it’s seen a number of thieves targeting homes with packages left outside.
“These thefts occurred throughout the day and evening hours and in response officers have stepped up their neighbourhood patrols,” said Const. Sarbjit Sangha in a news release.
Online shopping and home delivery of packages have risen significantly amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which has also increased the opportunities for thieves to take advantage of unattended parcels, police said.
In order to help prevent future thefts - especially with the busy holiday season just around the corner - Surrey RCMP is providing tips on how people can protect their deliveries from would-be porch pirates:
- Make sure to carefully track all packages by email or text messages;
- Tell a friend, family member or a neighbour to pick up your packages if you are not home at the time of delivery;
- Get your packages delivered to a physical location of the company that is delivering your package;
- Install security cameras at your residence;
- Keep an eye out for any suspicious activity in your neighborhood and report it to police as soon as possible.
“These types of thefts are very disconcerting for people, especially knowing that an unknown person has approached their home often while they were away,” said Sangha. “We encourage anyone who gets home deliveries to take some extra steps to prevent theft, and to work with their neighbours to safeguard their property.”
Anyone who witnesses suspicious activity is asked to contact Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
It could take years to catch up on child vaccinations in Ontario post-pandemic
Ontario is still playing catch up on routine vaccinations that many children missed during the pandemic and public health officials are warning that it could take years to solve the problem.