Rural Manitoba community continues to get hit with mailbox thefts

Cut locks, stolen mail and big headaches.

It’s been a constant problem for residents in the RM of Springfield.

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For the past few weeks, residents of the rural municipality have noticed an increase in thefts from their community mailboxes.

“I’m finding lots of flyers in the grass and every week I’m finding a broken lock or two,” Rodney Olson said. “It’s a terrible thing.

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Olson lives across the street from one mailbox in Oakbank and said he’s been picking up cut-off locks off the ground for weeks.

“All summer more or less,” Olson said. “I’ve been seeing them cut.”

Debbie Berg lives just a few doors down from where she picks up her mail.

“It’s frustrating,” Berg said. “It’s been going on for a couple of months.”

Angry residents took to social media to warn their neighbours.

“Just a heads up!!! My lock was cut and my mail was stolen,” one woman wrote. “No cheques in my mailbox thanks to direct deposit you scumbags.”

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While for some it’s nothing more than a nuisance, for many others, the biggest worry is the possibility thieves are making off with people’s personal information.

“It’s definitely a concern if people are breaking into mail boxes and getting banking information and so forth,” Oakbank resident Jeff Copp said. “It makes you wonder if this system is the best system that they’ve got going.”

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0:39 Rural Manitoba resident says ‘superboxes’ would be better mail option

A spokesperson for Canada Post told Global News they take the matter very seriously, noting the thefts have been reported to police and postal inspectors.

Phil Legault said they have a plan to replace older community boxes within the next few years.

“However, a priority has been placed to replace any older style mail equipment that has been a target of repeated vandalism,” Legault said.

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Canada Post encourages anyone who sees suspicious activity to report it to police, or to contact Canada Post’s Customer Service at 1-800-267-1177.