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Review Vol.17
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Number 20
Thursday, May 14, 2015
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Serving the communities of Keremeos, Cawston, Okanagan Falls and Kaleden
Mailbox thieves deliver big credit card bill Review Staff
In three days criminals racked up almost $3,000 on a Keremeos family’s new credit card. “It was just bad timing. My new credit card had come in and they got lucky because that’s when they happened to break in,” Jesce Walker said calmly during a phone interview with the Review. At this point she’s now on the hook for at least paying the accumulating interest on the MasterCard that was stolen from her community mailbox sometime in early April. She trusts the credit card company will work it out but it might take up to three billing cycles. “I understand their fraud department is excellent so I’m sure they’re going to figure this out,” she said. Walker and her husband moved to their new home on Upper Bench Road in early January. Since then their mailbox has been broken into twice. “The first time we noticed we
Tara Bowie
Community mailboxes in rural areas are an easy target for thieves. Between 2008 and 2013 there was almost 5,000 incidents of mailbox tampering from vandalism and arson to mail theft.
hadn’t gotten mail for a couple days. It was some time in the beginning of April but we didn’t think
much of it and then one morning there was a notice that our mailbox had been broken into and we need-
cleared out more than 100 tires up along 20 Mile Creek behind Hedley. They also disposed of 20 dirty mattresses, washing machines, abandoned furniture and ditched vehicles. Although fines of up to $2,500 have been handed out to illegal dumpers in the area over the last few years it hasn’t dissuaded everyone. Just a few weeks ago Sawicki spotted new piles of metal and shop waste including discarded toxic containers. She’s organized volunteers to clean it up. Part of the problem is that the area near Hedley still has leftover mine waste that has not been cleaned up. Sawicki along with a few others repurposed cyanide barrel lids to make no dumping signs. Some
signs have been torn down while others have been shot at. “That makes some people think that because the mine didn’t clean their stuff up it’s okay for them to dump there,” she said. “There’s just a few people that bloody well won’t stop doing it.” She gathers as many volunteers as possible of all ages to help cleanup so hopefully that will create a cultural shift around dumping. “If I could talk to these people I would say there are lasting consequences. They think it’s just a point of unloading their truck and it’s gone but there are consequences for the short and long term for the wildlife and the people that live here,” she said. In addition to destroying the natural beauty of the region illegal dumping also threatens the health of humans, wildlife and the envi-
ed to go to the post office,” she said. It didn’t click in right away that thieves had made off with the new MasterCard. But when the card didn’t show up Walker put two-and-two together. “By then they’d already used the card on a shopping spree in Penticton for about three days in mid-April. I think it was the 14, 15, and 16th,” she said. “They must have needed it. They used it at places like Winners, Safeway, and gas. It was used all over Penticton.” Walker said she’s still stumped as to how the thieves could have activated the card. “I could see if it was a replacement but how on earth did they activate a new card? When I called MasterCard they said it’s not uncommon and the crooks have found a way to do everything,” she said. Their mailbox was broken into
again just last week. Walker didn’t think any cards were stolen this time. Canada Post has since installed new mailboxes. “Once they’ve been broken into their structure is compromised and that’s why it’s easier to get into. Now we have new boxes so hopefully that will stop this from happening again. This is costing Canada Post a pretty penny,” she said. Between 2008 and 2013 Canada Post recorded about 4,880 incidents involving community mailboxes, ranging from vandalism and arson to mail theft. Tips listed on Canada Post’s website to prevent mail theft and protect your identity include collecting mail promptly after delivery, putting a hold on delivery if you’re going to be away, shred documents that contain personal financial information, such as statements and credit card offers.
Hedley resident done with being dumped on Tara Bowie Staff
Tires, rusty cars, old mattresses and piles of bent metal are among items Lydia Sawicki has found while walking trails throughout the area – and she’s fed up. The Hedley resident said since moving to the Similkameen Valley five years ago she and others have spent hundreds of hours cleaning up after those that still think it’s their right to dump garbage on Crown land. “It’s gotten better. You don’t see people throwing away large items like you used to but it’s disheartening. It’s like we clean up an area and then someone decides to dump stuff all over again. And you have to clean it up or it just encourages others to dump stuff,” she said. Over the years local volunteers
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Although incidents of illegal dumping are becoming fewer, persistent dumpers in the Hedley area are getting rid of metal material along 20 Mile Creek and even shooting signs put up to dissuade the practice.
ronment. Animals and insects that frequent dump sites can cause disease that pose a threat to humans and their own animals. Illegal dumping also increases the risk of fire. Because of the extremely dry climate fires can be caused by bro-
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ken glass. Illegal dump fires are difficult to extinguish and can release harmful fumes into the atmosphere. The public plays a critical role in identifying and reporting illegal dumpsites and dumping incidents. To report illegal dumping, please call 1-866-566-3867 or e-mail info@rdos.bc.ca.
Matthew R. Tolley Financial Advisor #3-9150 Main St., Osoyoos 250-495-7255 1-877-742-4007
matthew.tolley@edwardjones.com