A Chilliwack man is in jail and facing multiple mail theft charges, following a joint police investigation in the eastern Fraser Valley.
David Charles McGill, age 47, of Chilliwack faces eight charges of theft of mail, one charge of possession of break and enter instruments, and one charge of possession of a controlled substance. McGill remains in custody pending a court appearance in early September.
The charges stem from the ongoing investigation of mail thefts reported to police from across the Fraser Valley Region since early 2015.
“Information obtained during our investigations led police to believe a blue pickup owned by Mr. McGill was involved in a number of the mail thefts being committed in the district,” said Cpl. Brock Rayworth of the UFVRD Crime Reduction Unit.
On Friday, Aug. 28 at approximately 2:30 a.m. officers of the UFVRD Crime Reduction Unit were made aware of the blue pickup truck being driven in the area of Lougheed Highway and Ashton Road in Agassiz. Officers immediately arrived at the location to find the Canada Post Community Mailbox damaged and compartments opened.
UFVRD officers continued to investigate the incident, following a trail of eight damaged mail boxes through the communities of Agassiz and Derouche until just after 5 a.m. they stopped the blue pickup in the 34000 block of Brient Drive in Mission. The driver, David McGill, was quickly taken into custody by police who found further evidence inside the vehicle linking him to the alleged mail thefts committed that morning.
“We partnered with investigators of the Abbotsford Police Service Crime Reduction Unit and with Canada Post Investigators and continue to pursue every lead of this multi jurisdictional mail theft investigation,” says Cpl. Rayworth.
“Mail thieves do not recognize jurisdictional boundaries when committing their crimes. A collaborated effort of all police agencies of the region is an essential component to the reduction of criminal activity in our community,” said Cpl. Mike Rail.
Anyone who witnesses anything they believe to be suspicious in nature is encouraged to contact their local police or, if they wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).