Two have been arrested and hundred of articles of stolen property recovered as a result of an RCMP investigation into a Christina Lake mailbox break-in.
According to a press release issued by Grand Forks RCMP Friday afternoon, numerous criminal charges have been laid against 25-year-old Mitchell Olheiser of Cranbrook. A second man was arrested and released to appear in court in Grand Forks at a later date. His name has not been released.
The arrested were made following Grand Forks RCMP interrupting a theft in progress at a Canada Post mailbox on Monday. As a result, an “extensive” amount of stolen property was recovered, including the 2014 Dodge pickup the suspects were driving.
RCMP believe that a number of other mailbox and shed break-ins at the lake are related to the suspects, according to the press release.
Members of West Kootenay Traffic Service and the Forensic Identification Section are assisting in the investigation. The investigation is currently ongoing, and additional charges may be laid according to RCMP.
“It is believed the suspects are responsible for other offences in Cranbrook, Nelson and Castlegar,” the release notes.
RCMP are currently in the process of sorting through “several hundred” exhibits, and some have already been returned to rightful owners. They are also working with Canada Post to return stolen mail.
Grand Forks RCMP Sgt. Jim Fenske is asking residents not to contact RCMP inquiring about their property.
“As this is an active criminal investigation the property will be returned as soon as we possibly can,” he said via press release.
RCMP are asking anyone with information about these crimes to call RCMP investigators Cst. David Forbes or Cst. Nicki-Jo Wolfram at 250-442-8288 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).