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
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Rates of cancer declining in Canada, but more work needed to save lives: projections
A new study projecting declining rates of cancer cases and deaths in Canada demonstrates the success of prevention and early detection programs, but also highlights areas where more work is needed to save and prolong lives, researchers say.
Canucks hold off Oilers for 4-3 win in Game 3
Brock Boeser had two goals and an assist, and the Vancouver Canucks hung on for a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 3 of their second-round Stanley Cup playoff series.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Man fatally 'slashed in the neck' in downtown Toronto, suspect outstanding
Police are searching for a male suspect after a man was “slashed in neck” on Sunday morning in downtown Toronto and died.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise's disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.