Damage to mailboxes under investigation north of Brampton

Police have issued a reminder not to send cash and other valuables through the mail after multiple mailboxes were damaged north of Brampton.

The OPP says officers from the Caledon detachment were alerted to the vandalism on July 17, and say communal mailboxes were damaged in the area of Matson Drive and Mount Hope Road.

Investigators haven’t confirmed whether any mail or packages were stolen.

The Caledon OPP is asking residents in the area to check security cameras for images of any suspicious people or vehicles.

The incident has police reminding residents to empty your mailboxes daily, contact the issuing agency immediately if you are expecting and did not receive a cheque or other valuable mail, and not to send cash in the mail.

Anyone with information about this incident can contact the OPP by calling 1-888-310-1122. Anonymous tips may also be provided to Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-8477 or visiting www.ontariocrimestoppers.ca.

When you contact Crime Stoppers you stay anonymous, never have to testify, and could receive a $2,000 reward.

Police agencies across Ontario have been dealing with thefts from community mailboxes for years, including in Burlington where mailboxes in the Millcroft and Orchard neighbourhoods have been frequently targeted.

In October, Peel Regional Police said eight men faced a combined 344 charges after more than 460 pieces of mail that contained cheques, credit cards and government ID were stolen from home mailboxes in Mississauga and Brampton by an organized group of thieves.

About 158,000 addresses in Ajax, Brampton, Hawkesbury, Kitchener, London, Mississauga, Ottawa and Pickering are slated to convert to community mailboxes in 2027.