February 17, 1991 Classifieds 986-6222 Office, Editorial 985-2131 “if HH Tr} NEWS photo Neil Lucente ur world to make All of the art in Park Royal Mall's ‘‘Our World Too: A Howe Sound Environment” has been created by school children. Andrea Watson (12), Ricky Grange (12), and Sandy Harwalik (10) weave tapestries and the best of the show will be exhibited at Harrington's Gallery in Van- couver from February 28 — March 3. = Sheet a 5 ! ' 1 ! 1 Display Advertisiig 980-0511 Distribution 986-1337 ail theft epide SUNDAY Norman Stark — CEO for Ports Vancouver Affluence & Influence: 30 25¢ 52 pages Gangs snatch credit cards from North Shore mail boxes THE NORTH Shore is be- ing hit hard by an epidemic of postal pilfering. By Michael Becker News Reporter According to the North Van- couver RCMP, scam artists are ripping off credit cards from Canada Post relay boxes and apartment building mail rooms. Losses resulting from the use of credit cards stolen from the mail are estimated by North Vancouver RCMP to range in the tens of thousands of dollars since the summer. Throughout the Lower Mainland losses total in the hun- dreds of thousands of dollars. And according to a Canada Post spokesman, the North Shore and Surrey residential areas are taking the brunt of the crime spree. “These guys are living off the avails of these cards,”’ said North Vancouver RCMP Const. Lawson Boutilier, a special investigator working closely with postal and credit card security specialists. Stolen credit card charges are pending against six people arrested in North Vancouver since the beginning of the new year. Victoria resident Petcr Wayne Doherty was recently arrested in North Vancouver for allegedly possessing numerous stolen credit cards. He currently faces charges of possession of stolen property and misuse of a credit card. Seven thousand dollars was owing on one card alone. Last month, eight postal relay boxes located in residential areas of North Vancouver were broken into. The boxes are usually drageg- ed off to a secluded location and opened. Said Canada Post spokesman Doug MeClelland, ‘‘it’s reatly quite interesting to see this type of trend. A year ago we had one or two pieces a month broken into. We had over 50 last year {throughout the Lower Mainland.) lt has become a serious problem.”* According to McCletland, the steel relay boxes, used as mail drop-off points for letter carriers working their routes, are being opened with keys or pried open with tools. In one case a thie? was caught with a relay box jammed into the rear of a Honda Civic. Over the past six months wo let- ler carriers were assaulted in Van- couver and had their keys stolen. Thieves are also making their REACHING EVERY DOOR ON THE NORTH SHORE SINCE 19 CANADA Post spokesman Doug McClelland... theft trend is getting worse. Last month, eight postal relay boxes located in residential areas of North Vancouver were broken into. own keys from scratch. “*A fair percentage of those ar- rested seem to be in gangs. Some of the people arrested have been, frankly, kids. They’ve caught on to something here,’’ McClelland said. Canada Post is combating the problem by changing all locks in an area where a theft has occur- red. Where permitted by bylaw, relay boxes are being anchored to the ground. McClelland said carriers are also keeping valuable mail such as cheques and credit cards with them. Added McClelland, ‘*We’re in the process of offering a $2,000 reward for information to house- holders in areas where thefts are concentrated. And of course we're cooperating fully with the RCMP.” Some have argued that new credit cards should be sent by reg- istered mail. But said McClelland, “The cost of security registered mail is higher than 40 cents. So I guess they're (the credit card companies) trying to balance their losses with the cost of mailing them out.” Suspicious occurrences regard- ing mail theft should be reported to the North Vancouver RCMP, at 985-131).