ON July 9 at approximately 3 a.m., New Westminster Police received a 9-1-1 call from a witness who shared they could see a man running from the lobby of a downtown area condominium with an armful of packages. When officers arrived on scene they located the suspect inside a vehicle a short distance away.

The suspect was arrested and mail from several downtown residences was located inside the his vehicle. Police said officers are working with management from each address to return the recovered packages to their rightful owners.

“Thankfully, many residents don’t hesitate to call us if they see someone stealing mail,” said Sgt. Andrew Leaver on Thursday. “This resident did the right thing and recognized that a crime in progress needed to be called in to 9-1-1.”

The suspect was found to be breaching court ordered conditions. Charges related to theft of mail will be forwarded to Crown counsel.

New Westminster Police say they are employing different tools in an effort to combat mail theft. In December 2022, the New Westminster Police Department launched a Bait Package Program. The following year the city saw a notable 30% reduction in reported mail theft. Residents are encouraged to pick up posters that advertise the Bait Package Program from the New Westminster Police Department front lobby. These posters can serve as a deterrent to would be package thieves.